Chapter 4

I will translate the provided text into English, maintaining the original formatting and structure:

---

Xibei heads towards the open-air market in town. There, over fifty stalls sell a variety of goods. Of course, the quality of the goods is mixed. But I have Metis with me.

He glances at a nearby stall.

"Is there anything here worth more than twice its selling price?"

"No"

It seems this stall either has fair prices or is overpriced.

He then peeks at the next stall.

"Is there anything here worth more than twice its selling price?"

"No"

It's the same here. He continues to check the value of the goods at each stall. However, it's hard to find any real bargains.

After checking, it turns out most of the items are just junk.

"Is there anything here worth more than twice its selling price?"

"Yes"

"Finally, we found one!"

Xibei shouts loudly in front of the stall. The stall owner looks at him suspiciously.

"What's the matter, young man?"

"Nothing, sorry. Don't mind me."

While talking, he checks the value of each item one by one.

"Is this item worth more than twice its selling price?"

"No"

"Is this item worth more than twice its selling price?"

"Yes"

The item Metis deemed valuable is a pot about the size of a human head, with several blue flowers painted on it.

Hmm, I think it's pretty, but it just looks like a regular pot to me...

"Hey, you have good taste, young man. This is a popular porcelain from the Artemis Kingdom. See how beautiful the blue is? I'll give it to you for 10,000G, down from 12,000G."

He immediately discounts it. This must have been left over. I lived in the Artemis Kingdom before, but I've never heard of this. It's too suspicious.

The main currency is:

Copper Coin: 100G

Large Copper Coin: 1,000G

Silver Coin: 10,000G

Gold Coin: 100,000G

Platinum Coin: 1,000,000G

My total wealth is nine silver coins, or 90,000G. By the way, a meal costs about five copper coins, or 500G.

"Is this pot worth more than 50,000G?"

"Yes"

Wow. I'll buy it.

"Old man, I'll take this pot."

"Sure thing!"

He takes the pot from the stall owner. It's quite large.

When I ask Metis for more details, it seems to be worth about 70,000G. I'll sell it for more than 50,000G and make a profit. Maybe I can earn money more easily than I thought.

I can't just set up a stall, so I'll have to find a store that buys items. Carrying this pot around is too inconvenient.

I ask a passerby for the location of a buyback store.

Apparently, it's hidden in a back alley. I walk through a narrow back street and reach a store that specializes in buybacks.

"Excuse me, I'd like to sell this pot."

"Huh? You want to sell this pot?"

The store attendant is a muscular old man. He looks more suited to monster hunting than running a store. His muscles are a waste. He looks a bit tired.

"Yes."

"Let me see it."

After looking at it for a while, the old man tells me the price.

"7,000G."

No way! Metis doesn't make mistakes. He probably can't accurately judge its value.

"This pot is worth about 70,000G. That's way too low."

"Are you questioning my judgment? What's your basis for saying that?"

I'm weak when asked that. I can't say I used a skill to appraise it; he wouldn't believe me.

"This is a popular porcelain from the Artemis Kingdom. It sells well there."

"I've never heard of such a thing being popular in the Artemis Kingdom. Anyway, if you don't accept my price, you can leave."

He waves his hand dismissively. I can't sell a 70,000G item for 7,000G, so I leave the store quietly.

I visit another store, but they offer a similar price. They don't understand the pot's value, so it's understandable.

"Even if I know the true value, I can't explain it well enough to get a fair price. I lack the knowledge and the skills to sell goods. This is tough."

The only thing left is the valuable pot. My plan to make a quick profit with Metis's appraisal is failing. The adventurer guild probably buys items, so I might have to go there. They'll likely buy it for 50% to 70% of its value. I can't afford to lose a lot of money by insisting on a fair price.

As I walk through the back alley, thinking about my next steps, I realize I'm surrounded by suspicious men.

"Hey, kid, you're new in town, right? You look young, and you seem like the second son of a small knight family who was kicked out, huh? The town is dangerous. We won't kill you, but hand over all your money and clothes."

A man with a mohawk, holding a sword, laughs. There seem to be two men in front and two behind me.

Unfortunately, I'm the first son, but I was kicked out.

"Can I win?"

"No"

Hmm, no mercy. Should I pay them? But if I lose all my money, I'll be in real trouble. I have to run!

I turn around and run with all my might.

"Hey, kid!"

But the men behind me aren't weak either. They easily grab my clothes and pull me down.

"Ouch!"

"Stupid kid, you're going to get a beating!"

They beat me up, and after a while, they stop. Even in the back alley, passersby on the main street can see me. They all avoid eye contact and leave.

"You've learned your lesson. Now, find the money. You can take his clothes too. They'll fetch a good price."

My clothes are noble attire, so they're valuable.

I give up and close my eyes.

"--- What are you doing?"

A beautiful voice rings out like a bell in the back alley, where the noise of the main street and my groans can be heard.

1G is roughly equivalent to 1 yen. Thank you for reading!

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