Trinkets and stones

"This one must be quite valuable, I still can't identify it. Put it back in your pouch for now; we may need to take it to an appraiser in the city to find out its worth. It would be best to blend in with a large crowd while we do that." Supplied Mars.

Kit slipped the stone back into his pouch as instructed. "Why would we need to blend in if we're just going to see an NPC for appraisal?"

"Seriously, Kit? NPCs can also steal from us, especially since we're not yet strong enough to defend ourselves. We have to be extra cautious until then." Cautioned Mars.

"I forgot about that. Can we sell these stones though?" Kit worried that even selling these stones would result in getting taken advantage of by the NPCs.

"These should be fine; they're all semi-precious and not worth too much. But let's be careful nonetheless." Mars then started heading towards the centre of town.

Kit couldn't contain his excitement over the stones, and he practically skipped as they searched for a jeweller. They received some strange looks from passersby, but Kit attributed it to Mars clothes. His thoughts were confirmed as he overheard a conversation.

"That man's appearance is so strange. Have you noticed his eyes, Melba? They seem to suggest he's ready to attack at any moment." An old man eyed Mars as he spoke.

"That look gives me the creeps. The last time I saw such intensity was when Old Hippo killed that Sleaford who had attacked his beloved dog. I hope that guy with purple hair is safe. Should we go check on him? Maybe someone is forcing him into something bad." The old man's imagination was taking off.

"Stop it Stanly, it's not our place to interfere. Let's just hurry home before things get out of hand." The woman walking with him pulled the older man's arm and they headed in the opposite direction.

Kit couldn't help but find it amusing that Mars was being mistaken for a troublemaker. He could see why though; Mars did have an intense and slightly unhinged aura about him at the moment.

"I can't wait to see you in action, haggling for a good price on these stones. Maybe I'll learn some new skills from watching you," Kit exclaimed with excitement.

"Just sit back and watch me work my magic. I'll make sure we get the best deal possible," Mars responded confidently, his face lighting up at the thought of negotiating.

"I saw that one of the stones was labeled as 'flawless'. I'm assuming that's a good thing?" kit's brow rose in query.

"You bet. It's the highest quality grade available. These stones are classified as poor, average, fine, good quality, superior, and flawless. With these, we should be able to make a nice profit. Of course, their rarity will also play a role in determining the final price."

As they walked down the street towards a large plaza, Kit noticed stalls set up in the middle of the square and buildings connected by a long roof, making it difficult to distinguish individual stores. Only scattered doors indicated where one shop ended and another began.

The marketplace was bustling with foot traffic from multiple roads leading into the square. As they approached the centre of the plaza, Kit observed that the stone façades of the shops gave off a more sturdy and upscale appearance. The overall design of this shopping area had definitely been improved by these updated exteriors.

Kit and Mars leisurely strolled closer to the shops, and Kit peered into the windows as they passed by. Each shop seemed to offer essential items for players starting an adventure in CAL.

In front of him was an apothecary named Starter Potions, with a display of bottles in various shapes and sizes, containing colourful concoctions swirling within. One bottle caught Kit's eye: Red Heart 20 bronze crowns, granting +100 HP for 1 hour.

As they got nearer to the bustling plaza, the background noise of the crowd grew louder, making it hard to hear any conversations around them. The tempting aroma of food from market stalls set up in the centre of the plaza filled Kit's senses as they walked by. His nose led him to a wooden cart selling roasted nuts.

Behind the cart stood a young boy, no older than Kit himself, with a friendly smile on his baby face. "What can I get for you gentlemen?"

Kit couldn't resist the freshly roasted nuts covered in a golden crisp coating, with hints of sweet honey mixed in with the nutty scent. His mouth watered at the thought. "How much for two bags?"

"5 bronze crowns for two bags," replied the young man.

"I'll take two then, please." Kit handed over the money and gave one bag to Mars before opening his own. He popped a golden nut into his mouth and savoured the delicious blend of sweetness and nuttiness. "Mmm, so good." Next to him, Mars was having a similar experience. Snowball poked his head out from the sling and sniffed at the air.

"Even Snowball thinks it smells good," Kit chuckled as he gave the little fluff ball a nut, which disappeared almost instantly, followed by a whine for more. "Alright, I'll share." Kit laughed and shared his bag of nuts with Snowball as they continued to browse the stalls and shops.

As they slowly made their way through the plaza, Kit and Mars finally stumbled upon a jeweller. Kit quickly brushed the crumbs off his fingers onto his pants before looking up at the sign above the door that read "Trinkets and Stones" with a glowing golden star below it.

The shop had a patchwork stone design with a large, high-quality dark wooden door that Kit pushed open with effort. Inside, he was hit with a clean smell that reminded him of bleach, but not as overpowering.

The shiny jewellery cases caught his eye as he looked around; there were five in total, surrounded by cabinets lining the walls. Three of the display cases were lined up on one side with a small gap between them for someone to squeeze through, while two more were on the opposite side.

A doorway covered in black string beads was visible in the back of the shop. Kit didn't know where to look first; there were sparkling jewels everywhere and he felt overwhelmed by all the different wares on display.

This shop was only rated as level one, but it looked more like a level two to Kit, even down to the quality of the display cases which surpassed those at the grocers. Excitement began to build within him as he imagined what he could turn his own restaurant into if it ever reached a second star rating.

Soft clinking drew Kit's attention, and he turned his head towards the sound. The beaded curtain at the back of the shop parted, revealing a stunning young woman. With wavy brown hair cascading down her back, she wore a tight red dress that accentuated her curves. She flashed a charming smile as she approached.

"Welcome, adventurers. How can I assist you?" Her voice was gentle and alluring, making Kit feel intimately connected to her. It was as if she had whispered in his ear. Kit thought she was the most breathtaking woman he had ever laid eyes on, it was like she embodies the essence of a goddess, with perfect curves and softness.

Kit couldn't take his eyes off the goddess as she strolled towards him, her hips swaying hypnotically and her smile growing wider. But Mars stepped in front of Kit with a forceful, angry tone.

"Knock it off or we're leaving." Despite Mars's warning, Kit peered out from behind him, unable to resist the goddess's charm. She blinked her enormous green eyes and offered an apology.

"I'm sorry," she said meekly.

Kit was ready to defend her against Mars's harsh treatment. Why was Mars forcing this stunning woman to apologise? Then another thought struck Kit, he had never heard Mars speak with such anger before.

As Kit looked at the goddess once more, he noticed something different about her. She was still beautiful, but Kit no longer felt mesmerised by her appearance.

Mars continued to glare at the goddess, his eyes wild and manic. "Is this how you treat your customers? If I didn't know what you were up to, you would have robbed us blind, wouldn't you?" The angry look in Mars's eyes intensified.

Feeling nervous, the woman pleaded with Mars for forgiveness. "I truly am sorry, my good sir. I was just practicing my charms when you walked in. That's all. I meant no harm."

She lowered her head again and gazed up at Mars with pleading eyes. But Mars wasn't buying it. He spoke with even more intensity. "Now you're trying to insult me." His body tensed up with anger.

The young woman shuddered as Mars locked his intense gaze on her. "How about I give you a discount as an apology?" she offered, and Mars visibly relaxed and handed over the stones.

The beautiful lady reached for a drawer under the glass display, from it she pulled out a black velvet tray with a thin round silver disc in one corner. The stones were carefully placed atop the soft fabric before she tapped twice on the silver disc.

A green light emanated from it, enveloping the stones in its glowing web. After pulsing three times, the light vanished, and the price of 100 silver and 300 bronze crowns appeared on the silver disc's surface.

Kit was taken aback by the steep price, while Mars remained stoic and silent. The shop assistant sighed and tapped the silver disc again, causing a new price to appear: 100 silver and 700 bronze crowns. Still no reaction from Mars. With another huff, she tapped the disk once more. "This is my final offer," she declared with frustration evident in her voice.

The silver disc vanished once more and reappeared with a new total: 120 silver crowns and 200 bronze crowns.

"Deal," said Mars simply.

The shop assistant placed the black velvet case back under the glass display, leaving the precious stones on top. She then opened another drawer and handed Mars a bag. The sound of coins clinking filled the air as he took it, letting Kit know it was filled to the brim with money.

"Come on, Kit. We still have more places to see," Mars urged, already walking ahead. Kit followed with a dazed look on his face, still trying to process the haggling exchange they had just witnessed.

Once they were out of earshot, Kit turned to Mars and exclaimed, "That was incredible! I can't believe how skilled you are at bargaining. And how did you know she was using glamour on us?"

"I could sense it. She was too alluring and there was a faint touch on my conscience, as if she was trying to invade my mind. I suspected she was also attempting to use a subtle suggestion on us," Mars explained.

"Wow, that's amazing. I don't think I would have stood a chance against her mind manipulation if I went in alone," Kit replied, relieved that they were able to come out successful from the negotiation.

"Well, thankfully we came out on top this time. But we should work on strengthening your mental defences in case we encounter someone like that again," Mars suggested as he held up the pouch filled with their earnings. Kit couldn't help but smile at the sight of it, grateful for Mars' quick thinking and skilled bargaining abilities.

"Let's make our way to the library. I'm eager to uncover our next destination," Mars said, a glint of excitement in his eyes as he talked about finding the treasure. As they resumed their journey, Mars passed Kit his share of the money."