Chapter 19 - Mayor Proposed Elves in Public, Got Rejected Because He Had a Chronic STI
After getting their hands on Parita's new equipment, they visited a general store next.
Parrot introduced the store. "This is where we pick up supplies of food and potions for the extended journey. Given that we're about to embark on a Hunger hunt around the city, we won't need more than a three-day supply of provisions. Ten or more if you're a scout like Catbird."
"I hope they aren't expensive."
Parita observed the shelves that displayed glass jars containing colorful liquids. She was surprised when she couldn't find miniature potion bottles similar to those found in video games.
"Also, are they selling these in bulk?" Parita pointed at a three-liter jar with red liquid.
"Yup! This place actually sells potions cheaper than the outside market, but they don't provide small containers. We get one of those, then we distribute the potions to our containers instead."
Parita glanced at the price tag next.
"So, how much does a small potion cost outside?"
"10 silver coins for a vial of lesser healing potion. 15 for a mana or stamina potion. General antidotes, painkillers, and hemostatic agents cost 30 silver coins each. Ointment is a lot cheaper, though. For rookies, a package of ointment is only 50 copper coins."
"And this? How many vials can we get per jar?"
Parita looked at the price tag of a three-liter jar of lesser healing potion, which read, one gold coin.
Parrot smirked. "Can't you tell with your eyes? That's a lot. More than 10 vials for sure."
"What about something of better quality? Where is the greater healing potion?"
Parrot gave Parita a strange look and furrowed her brow. "You can only get standard quality potions here at best, but they are expensive. Are you sure?"
"Better safe than sorry, right? Maybe we'll run into a situation where we lose a limb. What potion can restore limbs?"
Parrot facepalmed at Parita's naïve questions. "She explained further. They work almost the same, but regular potions are way more expensive. They do mend severe injuries and restore our blood, but the hidden price accumulates over time. Hiring good priests to heal our injured is a better move than investing in these potions."
Parita nodded in understanding. Adventurers like Parrot fought monsters for money, and these consumable items drained their income. Overspending them on standard potions didn't make sense to them.
However, the mocap suit thought otherwise. She moved to the standard potion section. Her hands grabbed two healing potion jars, two stamina potion jars, three mana potion jars, and one general antidote potion jar. Additionally, she grabbed a heavy hooded cloak from a corner and selected a lantern. Her movements were so fluid as though she were a seasoned shopper.
Seeing how Parita invested in standard potions, Parrot sighed. "I guess you can spend extra because of that bounty reward."
Reminded of the bounty, Parita was interested in the topic. She put the cloak on and secretly shoved everything else into her inventory. She exited the store with Parrot.
"Say, on this expedition, if we kill more Hungers, can we get more rewards?"
"Obviously. The team that is responsible for the kill gets the bounty. Why?"
"Just curious."
"Don't think too much about it. We'll be lucky to get even one of them. I don't think the others or the army will let us handle Hungers by ourselves. Actually, I doubt the governor will pay us. He'll probably say the soldiers are helping, so we shouldn't get paid."
"…"
The ladies were done shopping. Unfortunately, the cloth stores couldn't thrive in the military zones, so they couldn't find a store nearby. They hurried back to the camp before nightfall.
As Sparrow was Parita's supervisor, she brought her to their team's hut. They rested for the night. It was Parita's first time sleeping on a plank bed without a cushion. She barely managed to sleep.
* * *
4 AM. Everybody, including the soldiers, got up and packed their belongings. Sparrow woke everybody up.
Parita sat up. She rubbed the back of her neck and her back, getting sore all over. Fortunately, she went to sleep at 9 PM last night, so she had enough rest.
Sparrow's group moved fast. Aside from their weapons and sidearms, they passed all their luggage to Caladrius, the healer of the team. She still had the full knight armor set equipped, but she didn't wear a helmet, revealing her white hair and white pupils.
Caladrius fetched a small pouch from her giant backpack and opened it. Instantly, all the luggage of the team vanished into the small container.
Parita was surprised. She commented. "A fourth-dimension pouch?"
Parrot explained. "Nah. It's just a spatial pouch, similar to your inventory. It's our team's precious item box. Cost us a lot of coins though."
"One platinum coin…" Caladrius muttered.
"How much is that?" Parita asked.
"One platinum coin is a million gold coins."
"…Wow."
Parrot puffed out her chest, but the others sighed. Caladrius lowered her head, and her hands trembled while she handled the item. She mumbled, voicing her complaints.
"I wish we could sell it. We could have retired and gone back home."
Parita nodded in agreement. "Yeah. You girls should sell it. Why are you keeping that overpriced artifact? Just sell it and retire somewhere. Marry a hunk, shits a few hair demons, and call it life."
The elf ladies, except Caladrius, stared at Parita, giving her a weird look. Sparrow smacked her lips and explained. "That thing is the heart of our team."
"The heart of your team?"
"We don't have the inventory skill like you, so this pouch is a lifeline for us. We store our team's shared assets and luggage. By storing our team's funds here, it's easier to account for everything and distribute our pay. In case one of us perishes, we won't lose important equipment, supplies, or key items."
Parita nodded and agreed with their reasoning. She looked at Caladrius, who preferred not to hold on to the thing. She was nervous because she was responsible for something important, and if she lost it, it would be a catastrophe.
She suggested to them. "Wanna use my inventory to store your luggage instead?"
Caladrius nodded repeatedly. She was dying to sell the artifact. Sparrow was also interested, but she hesitated.
"GATHER UP!"
The voice from outside the hut interrupted their talk.
Sparrow sighed. "Let's postpone the idea for now. We'll rely on our usual system. We'll discuss your inventory and role in the next expedition. For now, follow us and don't cause trouble."
Parita shrugged as she didn't care. Caladrius, on the other hand, lowered her head because of the disappointment.
The ladies stopped chatting, and Caladrius stored the pouch in her backpack. They exited the shelter and gathered in the yard.
A hundred adventurers, including Parita and Sparrow's team, assembled in front of a small wooden stage. An elderly man in a butler uniform had already stood on the stage while his followers carried torches, illuminating the area for him.
20 meters away from the crowd of ragtag adventurers, 300 fully equipped soldiers formed ranks, ready to move out. Behind them were horse wagons containing their supplies.
The butler scrutinized the adventurers, but he didn't start his speech yet. He was waiting for someone.
Minutes later, Rubella and Lupus arrived on horses. A fancy carriage followed after them.
The carriage's door was open. From the vehicle, a lanky man in a frilly suit stepped down. He had a face full of pimples and a giant nose. Because of his bald head and the rash beneath his chin, a modern doctor might ask him to run a blood test for an STI.
A pungent mix of his cologne and natural scent filled the air, making the soldiers and adventurers recoil in disgust. People from a race with a strong sense of smell nearly threw up when they smelled adultery on the person and from inside the carriage.
"Oh, shit. Not good!"
Everybody on the elf team panicked. Everybody scooped a handful of brown mud from the ground and rubbed it on their faces. Parrot's left hand moved across Parita's forehead and cheeks, painting her face with charcoal powder. She adjusted Parita's hooded cloak for good measure, concealing her appearance.
The nobleman strolled toward the stage. His eyes swept across the adventurer crowd, admiring the healthy ladies among them. As soon as he spotted Parrot and her friends, he turned around and walked toward them.
"Hello, ladies. Parrot, I still haven't gotten the answer."
The girls froze. Parrot gnashed her teeth and replied. "No. You could give me all the gold in the world, but I still won't be your concubine!"
"Are you sure? This offer won't last, you know?"
"No."
"Suit yourself. What about you, Lady Sparrow?"
Sparrow scoffed. "Go F yourself."
"How cold. Very well. I hope you won't regret this later."
The girls glared at the stinky man with cold eyes. They were partly relieved that he was only interested in Sparrow and Parrot.
Meanwhile, Parita had been observing their interaction. She whispered Parrot.
"Who is that stinky man?"
Parrot sighed.
"The younger brother of the governor, H5N8. His name is H5N9."
"Huh? H-5…What?"