Rosetta-sama, You're Overdoing It! - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Rosetta’s Expedition for Essentials 4

Whether I buy or not depends on my mood at the time.

After all, each item related to magic is quite expensive, making it difficult for even nobles to readily make a purchase.

As a child, it’s even harder for me to afford such things.

Indulging in them while still relying on my parents’ finances could end up crushing my hopes, or worse, their shins.

It’s urgent for me to start earning money of my own.

While having cheat-like knowledge is beneficial, presenting something subpar could draw unwanted attention from the guild or even lead to assassination attempts, which is extremely perilous.

It might be wise to learn combat skills to a reasonable degree and become proficient in magic before venturing into such dangerous territories.

Being a noble doesn’t mean I can easily escape from this country when needed.

And when it comes to food-related items, I must be cautious as mishandling could potentially lead to the collapse of surrounding businesses.

I must think of ways to generate profit with products that pose no issues.

Upon entering the store, I find a suspiciously slick-looking man behind the counter, his smile adding to the dubiousness.

Spotting a new face in me, the clerk’s narrow eyes light up with a smile.

“Welcome, welcome! Oh, what a lovely young lady! Welcome to my shop!”

The man’s rapid speech and smile are even more suspicious. This is a case for the authorities. Where’s the police when you need them?

He probably thought an ignorant child had wandered in.

To him, a noble’s child is an easy mark.

Even if they’re swindled out of a large sum of money, it’s unlikely they’ll do anything about it.

Once a solid sales agreement is made, it’s as if they’re patronizing a high-end magic shop for the nobility, and there’s no need to worry about any trouble. That’s probably the mindset. Likely because he’s in cahoots with high-ranking nobles, he wouldn’t even entertain the idea of accepting returns from just any noble child, no matter how much they protest. It’s downright deceitful. It’s like stumbling upon a dishonest merchant! If I were to wield a sword, I’d cut them down along with the corrupt officials—just kidding.

Inside the store, various items of unclear purpose are on display.

I cautiously browse the items with Lionetta, making sure the clerk doesn’t approach us.

There aren’t many types of magic wands here. There are plenty that look like wooden sticks, though.

“Lionetta, do you know about magical items?”

“I know a little, but…”

“Good. Tell me what you know.”

Lionetta briefly explains to me.

She can use magic, but as a maid and the eighth daughter of a low-ranking noble family, she isn’t that knowledgeable.

She can tell me what the items are used for to some extent, but she doesn’t know how to use them.

After all, maids hardly ever use magic.

However, it’s dangerous to ask the clerk.

Judging from his smile, he’s definitely planning to sell us something unnecessary at a high price.

For now, I decide to buy a basic magic book. Lionetta already knew the price for this one.

“I’ll take this.”

“It’s 500,000 sakure.”

500,000!? Huh? Wait, isn’t this guy more like a suspicious Chinese merchant from old anime and manga? Of course, he’s the type that only appears in Japanese manga-related stuff.

They often try to deceive the main character, saying things like “It’s not like that, it’s not like that” until they’re backed into a corner.

“It’s 500,000. Oh my, that’s quite expensive. Is this a beginner’s magic book?”

“We sell it for 500,000 sakure.”

“Oh, really? That’s ten times the market price.”

The look in the merchant’s eyes changes.

“So you’ve been checking the market price, huh? You really got us there.”

“You’re pushing it a bit too much. Did you think some foolish noble child would splash out a fortune to buy it?”

“Oh dear, got caught out, huh? Well then, how about 100,000 sakure?”

“You’re greedy, aren’t you? Doubling the market price?”

“The real game starts now. I’ll throw in this.”

Ah, I see, trying to get as much as possible. This isn’t worth 50,000.

I’ve been duped by some twisted human-like root vegetable. Probably a mandrake. Honestly, I don’t need it.

“I suppose this is a mandrake, isn’t it? Well, I’ll contribute 55,000 in exchange for the opportunity to study it.”

“Well, that would put us at a loss. How about 90,000?”

No, there wouldn’t be a loss. Let’s just sell it at a fair price.

“Do you really want to trick us into making an expensive purchase? 60,000.”

“W-wait, you’re lowering the price now!? 70,000, how about that!? Surely you won’t make any profit beyond this?”

“Oh? You’re trying to deceive us and still seek profit? Fine, I’ll settle for 40,000 then.”

“I’d like to be forgiven for 68,000. You’re quite the negotiator, Miss. I’ve learned a lot from you.”

It’s still quite pricey, but oh well.

“Well, I just wanted to know what kind of shop this was, so fine, I’ll buy it for 68,000 sakure.”

It cost a bit more, but I’ve obtained the beginner’s magic book and the mandrake.

Now, what should I do with the mandrake? Is there any good use for it?

“Have you heard of Lionetta? No? I see…”

Alright, I’ve made up my mind.

I’m never coming back to this shop again.

Selling to customers like this and even mentioning the association with the duke’s household—I’ll make sure to report this to my father later.

One of these days, I’ll casually mention to the other noble families in the castle how their daughters are being taken advantage of… Wait, why do I feel like this old man doesn’t seem to pose much of a threat? That’s odd.