The Vrosea continent held a diverse landscape with various territories and regions.
Merfolk inhabited the land to the north. They did not like to interact with the creatures on land, so their underwater kingdom and cities were shrouded in mystery to other humans.
Dwarves ruled the land in the east. Their kingdom was located deep in the mountains, and it extended below the surface, where they built underground cities. Their craftsmanship was well-known throughout the land, as they were skilled miners and blacksmiths.
The south was the elves’ homeland, nestled deep within the Lush Forest. The forest was enchanted with magic to prevent intrusion from the outside world. The elves were a reclusive race who fiercely guarded their sacred sanctuary, rarely allowing outsiders to enter.
The western part of the continent was a desert where life struggled to exist, known as the Barren Lands. Endless dunes stretched as far as the eye could see, and the searing sun would scorch anyone who crossed the vast expanse.
Before entering the Barren Lands, there was the Forest of Death, filled with deadly creatures ranging from A to SSS-rank monsters. Thick canopies blocked out the sunlight, casting an ominous gloom over the forest floor. Many people who went there never returned.
Seth was currently in the Melianor kingdom, which lay at the center of the continent. It was positioned as a key point for trade and communication between the various regions.
To the east of the Melianor kingdom was a thick forest, a place Celia had to cross on her journey to arrive at the kingdom.
…
They found a secluded corner inside the inn with dimly lit lanterns casting a warm glow over the wooden table. The air was filled with the comforting aroma of freshly cooked food and the sweet scent of ale.
As they settled down and sat across from each other, the map was spread out before them.
Seth was studying the map when Celia spoke up, her voice tinged with worry. "Have you asked the innkeeper about hiring mercenaries?"
"Yeah, I offered to pay three gold coins for their service, with the rest to be given after we arrive at the capital." He replied.
Celia fell silent for a moment, her brows furrowing. "Seth... I thought you said you didn't have any money with you. How do you plan to pay them with three gold coins?"
Seth was perplexed by her inquiry. “I'm not the one who paid…?”
‘Although I did flaunt that I’m the son of a marquess, I don’t think I have anything valuable with me right now.’
Celia's face turned pale, and they both stared at each other, the realization sinking in.
"I don't have that much money with me. We need to go back and tell the innkeeper." Celia exclaimed in distress.
“But we need mercenaries to escort us safely,” Seth replied.
Celia's shoulders slumped, and she let out a sigh. "I already paid mercenaries to travel here, so I don't have much left with me right now, which is why I wanted to hitch a ride with a merchant, and I had asked you for a place to stay once we reach the capital."
"I see... So how about you ask for payment when someone comes and asks to get healed? It's faster that way!"
"Seth!"
Seth laughed lightly. ‘I was actually dead serious. Celia has extraordinary healing abilities, and it’s a waste not to charge for her services. But I can’t force her to do anything she doesn’t want either.’
"I'll go to the mountains tomorrow and hunt some monsters. The horns, skins, and meat can be traded here," he decided. ‘However, I don’t think it’ll be enough to exchange for three golds. I’ll have to find other means.’
Celia quickly responded, "I'll go with you. Since you can’t use your magic properly, you’ll need me to heal you."
Before he could reply, a loud, high-pitched voice interrupted their conversation.
“Who do you think you are scamming us, meow?"
Seth turned his head to see a cat standing on top of a table, yelling at a man with a hooded cloak nearby. Sitting near the cat was an old man wearing a long tunic in rich earthy tones, a leather belt with pouches, a cloak, and a wide-brimmed hat.
The cat tried to make himself intimidating by standing on the table, but the hooded man was taller and still looked down on it.
“You cheat! You said that it’s a magical elixir, but it’s just colored water with a faint herbal smell.”
The talking cat took the hooded man by surprise, and he responded, “Huh?! What do you mean by that?! It’s really a magical elixir that can increase the buyer's strength, agility, and intelligence. You can go and ask my other satisfied customers!”
“Your customers were recently caught scamming people, meow!”
The hooded man stood for a moment, dumbfounded, not realizing that his accomplices had exposed their scheme. “W-what?”
"I saw that you paid them to give a fake review for your products, meow!" The cat scrunched his nose.
The loud commotions attracted the other people dining in the inn on the ground floor.
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“Huh, no wonder I felt nothing when I drank the elixir. So it was a scam all along?”
“Me too. I gave it to my son, hoping he would get stronger, but he’s only getting stupider.”
“He said he used rare herbs and mystical ingredients to make the elixirs, but it’s just colored water?!”
“Hey, it cost one silver too! Does he think that one silver is easy to get?”
“I bought it because he kept on saying that the elixirs are limited edition and that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
The hooded man backed away as one after another diner stood up from the table and approached him.
“W-wait, the cat is lying! You people can’t be serious. Why would you believe a monster?”
“The proof is that the elixir didn’t work, you damn scammer!”
The hooded man bolted from the inn, pursued by the villagers.
“Serves him right, meow!” The cat was satisfied as it puffed out its chest.
As the orange cat returned to his seat and ate his fried fish on the plate, the old man sitting next to him let out a sigh and affectionately patted his furry head.
The innkeeper, drawn by the commotion, joined in with a sigh of her own. "It seems like we've been having more and more scammers lately."
Celia recognized the cat and the old man. “They are the merchants I was going to travel to the capital with.”
"Oh?" Seth looked at the merchants curiously, but he did not recognize them as characters from The Summoned Hero.
“I haven’t told him that I won’t be joining them since we are hiring mercenaries.”
Seth stopped her. “Wait, don’t tell them yet. I’m not sure whether we can get enough money to hire mercenaries or not.”
Celia nodded in understanding. Then, she approached the old man and the orange cat, while Seth followed her from behind.
"What a cute cat!" Her brown eyes lit up. Unable to contain her excitement, she picked up the talking feline. The cat who was eating a fish was caught off-guard and almost choked on the bones.
The orange cat was wearing a hat and a cloak similar to the old man sitting beside him. A bag was beside him.
“W-who is this lady suddenly grabbing me, meow?!” The cat was about to get mad until he saw the woman holding him. “Oh, you are our dear customer.”
Celia held the cat up in front of her so she could see his face. “That was amazing! I didn’t know that you’re a brave cat who can stand up against bad people.”
“I know. By the way, it's not free to touch me. You have to pay for my service, meow.”
Celia couldn't resist the charm of the talking cat, squishing her cheek together with Orion and even giving copper coins to the cat. The cat happily took it, as he enjoyed getting rubbed.
‘I thought we were lacking money?’ Seth stared at them without a sound.
The old man chuckled while watching the two interact.
Seth asked him, "Is he from a cat's tribe?"
"Yes, I have been raising him since he was still a kitten. And then he grew up wanting to be a merchant like me."
‘Oh, so it's a male cat who keeps on saying meow.’ Seth thought with amusement.
Some cats preferred to live in human communities, while others preferred to live in a tribe.
Seeing another potential customer, the cat introduced himself. “I'm Orion. Nice to meet you, meow! That’s my dad, Berko.”
The old merchant, Berko, nodded as he sipped his coffee.
Seth nodded. “My name is Seth.”
Orion jumped into his arms, snuggling and then raising his paw.
"Uh…" Seth was dumbfounded.
Orion was asking him for money.
"Let me pay for you." Celia giggled as she put another coin on the cat's paw.
"You should have said that you don't have any money, meow." After realizing that Seth was broke, Orion jumped back to Celia and asked for a pat.
Seth ignored them as he talked to the old merchant. "You’re a merchant, right? Do you accept post-payment? I didn’t bring a lot with me right now, so I wonder whether I can pay you after I arrive at the capital.”
Berko placed his cup on the surface. "Miss Celia must have told you that I am a merchant. Please have a seat. I have a lot of stuff for sale that will help you on your trip to the capital."
Berko sat across from Seth as he dug through his side bag and took out a few things. Placing it on the table, he displayed three objects.
"These are my finest products."
Celia hugged Orion and sat next to Seth, looking equally intrigued.
Berko smiled, revealing a few missing teeth. "This here," he pointed to a small vial filled with a shimmering liquid, "is a potion of vitality. It will rejuvenate your mana and grant you a temporary boost in stamina, perfect for those long travels."
Seth raised an eyebrow. "The scammer earlier sold the same thing."
Orion was offended as he retorted, “We aren’t the same as them, meow! We are real merchants. We have the certificate to prove it.”
Berko's smile wavered slightly as he responded, "The potion I'm offering is genuine and potent. You won't find any colored water here. It is made with carefully chosen herbs that are precisely brewed to provide the desired effects."
Seth nodded in understanding. ‘It’s useful, but I can’t rashly buy it yet. I’ll only get the one I desperately need.’
"What about the other two?"
Berko then shifted his attention to the next item, a small, ornate box. "This little box may seem ordinary, but it holds great potential. It's a box of holding—a magical container that can store more items than it appears to. No need to worry about carrying heavy bags on your journey."
‘So, the function is the same as my bag that was stolen in the dungeon.’ Seth thought.
Lastly, the old merchant pointed to a gleaming pendant with a red gem at its center. "And finally, this is the Amulet of Warding. It protects against hostile magic and wards off monsters. You'll find it invaluable if you encounter any dangerous creatures or magic users on your way."
"How many times can it be used?"
The old man raised three fingers. "Three times."
‘The Amulet of Warding is a pretty good defensive tool as well.’
As Seth examined the items, he could feel Celia giving him a side-eye.
With his squinted eyes, Berko looked at him up and down, trying to gauge whether the customer in front of him was rich or not and would be able to pay him.
‘I’m not wearing the outfit that I wore before I passed out outside the dungeon. Wait, who was it that changed my clothes?’
Berko trusted that Celia’s companion would be a good person like her, so he said, "We accept payments at a later date, but it's only under a contract."
"A contract?" Seth repeated.
The old merchant showed a suspicious smile. He pulled out a piece of paper from the bag and laid it out on the table.
"Please read the terms and agreements."
"...alright."