Chapter 60: A Young Lady’s Bargain

Oh, so this is the commercial district? It’s absolutely teeming with people!

Luluti’s eyes sparkled, her small head, hidden beneath her cloak, darting left and right, taking in every sight.

Hmm, hmm, the air here is thick with the scent of commoners!

Ahem, ahem…

Yalin quickly coughed a few times, effectively muffling Luluti’s voice.

‘Just moments ago, she had been admonishing me to be cautious, to mind my words and not expose our identities, yet here she was, uttering such scandalous remarks the instant she opened her mouth.’

“Uh… Luluti, we’re just ordinary commoners right now. You really shouldn’t say things like that.”

Yalin whispered his caution.

Since they had snuck out, addressing her as ‘Young Lady’ was out of the question in public.

Moreover, Luluti’s name was far too distinctive, leading them to ultimately settle on ‘Lulu’ as a discreet form of address.

Despite her assertion that the area reeked of commoners, this was, in fact, a legitimate commercial district, and calling it the most bustling area in Elanmia would not be an exaggeration.

Elanmia’s commercial street stretched from north to south, broadly divided into the South Street and the North Street.

The North Street featured an abundance of high-end establishments, catering exclusively to the upper echelons of society with its sparse clientele.

Conversely, the South Street, where they currently found themselves, served ordinary citizens, its thoroughfares boisterous and its shops densely packed.

Naturally, for Luluti, who had long resided in a villa, this place likely appeared no different from a slum.

“Hmph, of course I know that. Besides, there’s nobody around here, so what’s there to be afraid of?”

Luluti tugged at Yalin’s sleeve, pulling him into the throng of people.

“Come on, let’s hurry inside and look around! Let’s see if there’s anything fun!”

At this hour, the street wasn’t overly crowded; it certainly hadn’t reached the point of people jostling shoulder to shoulder.

However, this did not mean Yalin could casually avert his gaze from Luluti.

After all, she was the Young Lady of the Astria family, and if she were to get lost or, heaven forbid, abducted, ten of his heads wouldn’t be enough to atone for it.

Alas, such was the fate of a working man, constantly treading a tightrope.

Nevertheless, Yalin wasn’t overly concerned about Luluti’s safety.

After all, not far behind them, two bodyguards followed them like shadows.

They, too, wore brown cloaks and possessed considerable strength, a fact Yalin had only recently noticed, though he suspected they had been trailing them since the moment they left the villa.

“What is this?”

Luluti crouched down, her gaze fixed with curiosity on a peculiarly shaped pot displayed on a street stall.

The pot, crafted entirely from brass, was haphazardly adorned with an array of gemstones and patterns, giving it a cluttered appearance.

“Oh? Young lady, could it be that you’re quite interested in this?”

The old vendor’s eyes lit up, and he broke into a grin.

“Heh heh, you truly have excellent taste. To be honest, this pot has quite a story behind it.”

“What kind of story?”

Luluti, being a child after all, was instantly captivated.

The old man cleared his throat, pausing for dramatic effect before beginning his explanation: “Actually, this pot is a treasure my friend brought back from the Far Eastern Lands. It’s said to be crafted using their unique techniques, and furthermore, it seems to house a mystical Pot Spirit…”

Yalin nearly lost his composure, almost bursting into laughter.

‘This old man, spinning tales without even a hint of preparation. ‘Shipped from the Far Eastern Lands,’ he claimed. Yalin would bet good money that the shop where this pot was made was no more than a few hundred meters away.’

Luluti, however, took him at his word, letting out a small gasp.

“A Pot Spirit? What is that?”

“I’m not entirely sure myself. Perhaps it’s some kind of magical spirit.”

“Magic? Could it be a magical artifact?”

‘After all, magical artifacts were meticulously designed and crafted by the combined efforts of top-tier mages and alchemists, making them incredibly expensive. Moreover, she had never once heard of a magical artifact inhabited by a spirit.’

“Heh heh, I don’t understand those profound magical concepts, but I can give you a demonstration. Perhaps with your cleverness, young lady, you’ll be able to unlock its secrets later.”

The old man chuckled, then poured a bowl of clear water into the pot.

He then covered it with a lid and tilted the pot forty-five degrees.

Immediately, clear water began to flow continuously from the spout.

Luluti blinked.

“This is no different from an ordinary pot, is it?”

“Heh heh, there’s no difference yet, but if you can sense the Pot Spirit…”

Suddenly, the old man’s face turned serious, and he stared intently at the pot, as if something resided within.

After a moment, despite the pot’s angle remaining unchanged, no water poured from its spout.

“See? The Pot Spirit residing within will prevent the water from flowing out, just like this.”

“Really!”

Luluti looked left, then right, but couldn’t discern anything amiss.

“I don’t believe it. Did you just empty the water?”

“Of course not. Just relax a little… Watch.”

No sooner had he spoken than clear water once again began to flow from the spout.

“How amazing!”

“Yalin, quickly, look!”

Luluti exclaimed excitedly, tugging incessantly at Yalin’s sleeve.

Yalin was speechless.

‘What can I say?’

‘Young Lady, as long as you’re enjoying yourself.’

“So, how much is this pot?”

Luluti asked.

The old man’s eyes darted.

“Ah, well, it did take considerable effort to transport it here… A flat price, five thousand Liel!”

“What?!”

‘Now it was Yalin’s turn to exclaim. He knew the old man had a sharp eye, having clearly recognized Luluti as a young lady from a wealthy family and intending to fleece them. But wasn’t this a bit too excessive? Was he treating them like fools? Even the Young Lady should be able to sense something was amiss, right?’

“Five thousand Liel…”

Luluti pondered for a moment, then looked up at Yalin and whispered, “Hey, why do you think he’s selling it so cheaply?”

Yalin could only stare.

‘Alright, he admitted it. He had still underestimated the world of the wealthy.’

For Luluti, five thousand Liel truly didn’t seem like much, considering that even a random decorative item in her room could easily cost tens of thousands.

The old man was utterly bewildered.

“Wait, five thousand Liel isn’t considered money these days?”

He even wondered if his ears had deceived him.

“Uh… Luluti, are you really going to spend five thousand Liel on this thing?”

“Hmph, you idiot, do you think I don’t understand the rules here?”

Luluti puffed out her small chest.

“I read in a book that when buying things in places like this, you usually have to haggle!”

“That’s true, but everyone already heard what you said…”

Ignoring Yalin, Luluti turned to the old vendor, pointing at the pot on the ground.

“You just said it was a flat price of five thousand Liel, right?”

“Er… if you wish to offer more, that would be fine as well…”

“Dream on! One thousand Liel, take it or leave it!”