Chapter 17
Several days earlier...
“Haa... what a miserable life.”
Topu trudged along before suddenly becoming angry and kicking at the empty air.
He was a poor traveling merchant who couldn’t even afford a proper merchant-company badge.
Forget owning a wagon.
He had to carry a bundle larger than his own body.
He lacked the money to compete with major merchant groups.
He lacked the military force to secure valuable monster materials.
So after being pushed farther and farther from profitable markets...
He had ended up barely surviving by cheating barbarians in the dangerous Northern Frontier, a place every proper merchant avoided.
“I will succeed.”
Topu adjusted the potato sack on his back.
He clenched his teeth.
“And I’ll succeed big.”
Trading with barbarians wasn’t profitable.
That was common knowledge.
But this time was different.
These potatoes are real.
This opportunity may never come again in my entire life as a merchant!
The strange shaman of the Northern Rock Tribe made Topu uneasy.
But he had absolutely no intention of letting go of this lifeline.
Maybe these potatoes could even help him establish a proper merchant company of his own.
After walking for a long time while thinking about his future...
Topu finally reached the village of Teren.
It was the frontier village connecting the Northern Frontier to the human lands.
But Topu had no intention of visiting the trading post where he had originally promised to deliver the potatoes.
Instead...
He headed toward the village square near sunset.
The timing was perfect.
Evening.
When everyone was tired.
And hungry.
Now.
Chuckling to himself, Topu chose the spot in the square where the wind blew best.
He placed down a wooden crate and sat on it.
Then he took out a small stove and lit a fire.
He pulled out a small pan.
After adding a little cooking oil, he carefully placed thin slices of potato inside.
SSSSS!
The oil heated.
The surface of the potatoes slowly turned golden.
“Sniff, sniff... Huh? What’s that smell?”
“It isn’t meat. Where is that insane smell coming from?”
The sweet and savory smell of potatoes immediately spread across the square.
Hungry people began gathering as though hypnotized.
Once enough people had gathered, Topu placed a delicious-looking potato slice on a skewer.
Then he lifted it high.
The location was perfect.
The wind carried the smell of the potatoes to every corner of the square.
Topu deliberately moved the potato skewer slowly toward his mouth.
Dozens of eyes followed it.
Several people unconsciously opened their mouths along with him.
When the potato disappeared into Topu’s mouth...
Disappointed sighs came from the crowd.
Topu closed his eyes dramatically.
“Ahhh, delicious.”
He chewed slowly.
“Really delicious. Soft and fluffy, rich and savory...”
He smacked his lips.
“Then this sweetness suddenly spreads through your whole mouth, and it’s even perfectly salty.”
He continued exaggerating.
“The flavor is so rich you barely need teeth. It just melts right on your tongue.”
Then he turned toward a middle-aged woman staring with her mouth open.
“Ma’am, want to try one?”
The woman instinctively accepted the skewer.
She took a bite.
Then her entire body trembled.
“Oh my! Oh my! Oh my goodness!”
Her eyes widened.
“Is this really a potato? No... no! This tastes better than any food I’ve ever eaten!”
She grabbed Topu.
“Are you selling this? I’ll buy it!”
“What exactly is so delicious about it?”
Dozens of people were now staring at Topu while drooling.
Topu scratched his chin as though troubled.
“Oh dear... what should I do? These are already reserved goods.”
“Reserved? By who?”
“That’s not something you need to know.”
“Isn’t it just a potato? Why would someone reserve potatoes?”
Once everyone became desperate with curiosity, Topu reluctantly lowered his voice.
“You see...”
Everyone leaned toward him at once.
The entire crowd held its breath.
Topu whispered,
“These are ‘Magic Crops’ grown by a very powerful shaman in the far north who received the blessing of an ancestor god.”
“Magic Crops?”
“Something like that exists?”
“That explains why they taste so good!”
Suspicion mixed with amazement.
Topu delivered his final blow.
“This is a real secret...”
He lowered his voice even further.
“Apparently, these are incredibly good for men.”
He rubbed his chin.
“Ahh, how should I explain it...”
There was absolutely no way to prove that claim.
But every man in the crowd instantly opened his eyes wide.
Good for men?!
Who could resist that?!
“Four hundred shillings! I’ll buy one!”
“Nonsense! I’ll pay eight hundred!”
The normal price of a potato was around 200 shillings.
In an instant, the price doubled.
The square erupted into chaos.
Dozens of people held out money bags and reached toward Topu.
Then...
“Huff... huff... T-Topu, you bastard!”
Two sweating men ran toward him.
One was the old merchant from the village trading post.
The other was Max, leader of the Silver Eagle Mercenary Group.
“What are you doing here?!”
The old merchant shouted angrily.
“Our trading post placed an order at three times the market price! If you came to the village, you should have brought the goods straight to us!”
Topu didn’t even blink.
Max stepped forward.
“Kid. I believe I clearly told you I wanted to buy those potatoes.”
“What nonsense! You cannot force a merchant like that!”
“Exactly! Whoever pays first gets them! We want some too. Hey, give me ten!”
The crowd angrily protested.
Max and the old merchant were overwhelmed by the growing hostility.
Topu sat comfortably on his wooden crate with a friendly smile.
“Come now, Captain.”
He shrugged.
“Isn’t bargaining the foundation of business?”
Topu pointed toward the crowd.
“Your offer of three times the normal price has already been beaten. That gentleman offered four times.”
“W-What?!”
Max ground his teeth.
If he simply used force and stole Topu’s bundle, the reputation of his mercenary company would collapse.
He had no choice.
“Fine!”
Max shouted.
“I’ll pay 1,000 shillings each.”
His expression hardened.
“Five times market price.”
Another mercenary with bloodshot eyes immediately shouted,
“Our guild will pay 1,200 each!”
Someone else joined in.
“I won’t let those idiots take such a valuable Magic Crop. I’ll pay 1,600!”
Even merchants who had arrived after smelling opportunity entered the bidding war.
While the fierce auction continued...
Topu was cheering inside his head.
