Free Survival Quest (The Way of the Shaman: Book #1) by Vasily Mahanenko
Authors: Vasily Mahanenko
level: Neutral. You are 999 points away from the status of Friendly.
Skill increase:
+10% to Trade. Total: 10%
Of course I agree! So, levelling up in the Trade profession depends on how often I bargain. That's good to know. I'm no expert in bargaining, but I can learn if need be. I was also glad to find out that the sale of gathered resources increased reputation, even if just a little.
I agreed and handed over the meat and was about to hand over the pelts when I was stopped by a shout:
"Mahan, hold on!"
I turned around in surprise. The approaching man had a striking resemblance to Salvador Dalí, with his prominent moustache, mad gaze and upturned chin...
"Mahan, I heard that you intend to sell Rat skins to this honorable dwarf," he said, bowing in Rine's direction. But everyone in the mine knows that Batiranikaus (or simply Bat), would be exceedingly pleased to buy them off you for 15 copper coins a piece. Do we have a deal?"
"15 coins? But this honorable dwarf," I said, mimicking his tone, "was offering to buy all my pelts for 20 copper a piece. So, since we've already come to an agreement, I am not prepared to risk damaging my relations with him for less than 25 coins," I winked at the dwarf, who was listening to our bargaining with a pleased smile.
"25 coins! Oh gods! Weeell... all right, I'll give you 25 coins per skin: here you go," Bat agreed surprisingly quickly and handed me a silver coin. "Now hand over my skins."
Skill increase:
+10% to Trade. Total: 20%
"Take them," I pointed to the Rat skins that lay on the table and turned around to Rine to move on to Rat tails, only to be interrupted by a terrible scream:
"Guards!" Bat screamed at the top of his voice. "Guards, Mahan swindled money out of me! He's a cheat! I demand protection!"
Immediately a crowd of prisoners formed around us, through which the overseers were trying to make their way.
"What happened here?" one of them asked in a low bass.
"Dear law enforcement officer! This unworthy man," Bat pointed at me, "took advantage of my foolish naivety and swindled me out of 2 silver coins."
"Is this true?" the guard turned to me.
"Of course not, I..."
"He threatened Bat, I saw it myself!" a shout from the crowd interrupted me. "He said that he would kill Bat if he would not give him the money!" "Don't give him any food!" "Let him croak!" came shouts from the crowd, which put me in a state of shock, as I looked around, not getting what was going on. All the people had amiable expressions, even Bat, who stood next to me and with a totally genial and friendly gaze, shouted that I was a piece of scum that cheated him. I started to think I was going mad. What was going on here???
"Quiet," a stern growl from the overseer silenced the crowd. "Now we'll get to the truth!"
The guard mumbled something and a hologram appeared next to him, where you could see how Bat handed over the money to me. He gave me the money and then I waved my hand in the direction of the table where the pelts were lying, but this gesture could be read as 'Get out of here", I then turned away from Bat as if saying that the conversation was over. Blast it! It really didn't look too great from outside; as if I was some dodgy racketeer. The projection disappeared and I stared at the guard in silence.
"Here's my decision," the overseer growled once again. "Mahan immediately gives Batiranikaus back one, I repeat, ONE silver, and, because it's his first time and he's new here, the incident will be overlooked. If he is caught doing anything like this once again he will be punished by being stripped of all his skill points. I'm done here! Now everyone back to their barracks!"
I silently gave the money back to Bat, and reached out to pick up the Rat skins, but it was no use. My hands simply passed through the skins as if they were no longer mine. That's right! I had already handed them over to Bat!
"Thank you!" Bat said with a smile, shoving the skins into his sack. "Come to
Skill increase:
+10% to Trade. Total: 10%
Of course I agree! So, levelling up in the Trade profession depends on how often I bargain. That's good to know. I'm no expert in bargaining, but I can learn if need be. I was also glad to find out that the sale of gathered resources increased reputation, even if just a little.
I agreed and handed over the meat and was about to hand over the pelts when I was stopped by a shout:
"Mahan, hold on!"
I turned around in surprise. The approaching man had a striking resemblance to Salvador Dalí, with his prominent moustache, mad gaze and upturned chin...
"Mahan, I heard that you intend to sell Rat skins to this honorable dwarf," he said, bowing in Rine's direction. But everyone in the mine knows that Batiranikaus (or simply Bat), would be exceedingly pleased to buy them off you for 15 copper coins a piece. Do we have a deal?"
"15 coins? But this honorable dwarf," I said, mimicking his tone, "was offering to buy all my pelts for 20 copper a piece. So, since we've already come to an agreement, I am not prepared to risk damaging my relations with him for less than 25 coins," I winked at the dwarf, who was listening to our bargaining with a pleased smile.
"25 coins! Oh gods! Weeell... all right, I'll give you 25 coins per skin: here you go," Bat agreed surprisingly quickly and handed me a silver coin. "Now hand over my skins."
Skill increase:
+10% to Trade. Total: 20%
"Take them," I pointed to the Rat skins that lay on the table and turned around to Rine to move on to Rat tails, only to be interrupted by a terrible scream:
"Guards!" Bat screamed at the top of his voice. "Guards, Mahan swindled money out of me! He's a cheat! I demand protection!"
Immediately a crowd of prisoners formed around us, through which the overseers were trying to make their way.
"What happened here?" one of them asked in a low bass.
"Dear law enforcement officer! This unworthy man," Bat pointed at me, "took advantage of my foolish naivety and swindled me out of 2 silver coins."
"Is this true?" the guard turned to me.
"Of course not, I..."
"He threatened Bat, I saw it myself!" a shout from the crowd interrupted me. "He said that he would kill Bat if he would not give him the money!" "Don't give him any food!" "Let him croak!" came shouts from the crowd, which put me in a state of shock, as I looked around, not getting what was going on. All the people had amiable expressions, even Bat, who stood next to me and with a totally genial and friendly gaze, shouted that I was a piece of scum that cheated him. I started to think I was going mad. What was going on here???
"Quiet," a stern growl from the overseer silenced the crowd. "Now we'll get to the truth!"
The guard mumbled something and a hologram appeared next to him, where you could see how Bat handed over the money to me. He gave me the money and then I waved my hand in the direction of the table where the pelts were lying, but this gesture could be read as 'Get out of here", I then turned away from Bat as if saying that the conversation was over. Blast it! It really didn't look too great from outside; as if I was some dodgy racketeer. The projection disappeared and I stared at the guard in silence.
"Here's my decision," the overseer growled once again. "Mahan immediately gives Batiranikaus back one, I repeat, ONE silver, and, because it's his first time and he's new here, the incident will be overlooked. If he is caught doing anything like this once again he will be punished by being stripped of all his skill points. I'm done here! Now everyone back to their barracks!"
I silently gave the money back to Bat, and reached out to pick up the Rat skins, but it was no use. My hands simply passed through the skins as if they were no longer mine. That's right! I had already handed them over to Bat!
"Thank you!" Bat said with a smile, shoving the skins into his sack. "Come to
Similar Books
Mystery Of The Sea Horse
Lee Falk
The Coal War
Upton Sinclair
Come To Me
LaVerne Thompson
Breaking Point
Lesley Choyce
Wolf Point
Edward Falco
Fallowblade
Cecilia Dart-Thornton
Seduce
Missy Johnson
