Chapter 291: Shieldrake

As we got closer and looked at it properly, it clearly gave off an unusual aura compared to ordinary crops.

Crops in this world are already strange enough, but the Shieldrake even felt vaguely ominous.

“So this is the Shieldrake… It definitely feels different from the other crops.”

“I knew it! This is absolutely Shieldrake! I had given up, so I never thought we’d actually find it.”

“Maybe this is the only one left. It’s tucked away in a corner stall, so other customers probably didn’t notice it either.”

“I think you’re right. I’ll negotiate right away.”

From Sheila’s excitement, it was clear just how rare it was.

As for the price, there was no price tag on the Shieldrake, meaning we would likely have to negotiate directly.

“Excuse me. May I ask something?”

When Sheila called out, the shopkeeper came from the back of the stall.

He looked like a typical middle-aged man you might see in Tsukiji.

“What’s up? You lookin’ to buy somethin’?”

“I’m interested in this Shieldrake. How much would you sell it for?”

“Ohh! You’ve got good eyes, young lady! That Shieldrake is 10 platinum coins! It just came in today—fresh, top quality, top size! If you miss this, you won’t find another one!”

Ten platinum coins for one…!

It wasn’t an impossible amount, but it was extremely expensive.

The crops we grow only cost up to 5 silver coins each.

If I convert it, that’s about 200 times the price… I hesitated to even consider it.

“Hm… that’s above market price. Could you lower it?”

“I’d like to say yes to a cute girl’s request, but… tough luck! Instead, I’ll throw in some Hakumin grass as a bonus.”

“I don’t need the bonus. Could you do 8 platinum coins without anything extra?”

“No way, no way! If I sold it that cheap, I’d be running at a loss!”

“Then how about splitting the difference—8 platinum coins and 5 gold coins?”

“You’re not splitting anything! The middle is 9 platinum coins!”

“Eh? Then 9 platinum coins is fine? Thank you!”

“I didn’t say—well… fine, 9 platinum coins it is. Just for you.”

“Thank you very much!”

With an absurd negotiation style, Sheila somehow forced the price down by one platinum coin.

It was a skill I definitely didn’t have, so I could only admire her.

Sheila handed over the 9 platinum coins and carefully stored the Shieldrake in her bag.

Even 9 platinum coins was still a huge amount, but judging from her reaction, it was likely a very good deal.

With that, one of our objectives was complete.

Since searching for the Shieldrake had naturally let us tour the entire foreign goods market, it was time to move on.

“I’m glad we managed to buy the Shieldrake safely. Shall we go where Velvet wants next?”

“That sounds good. But it’s around noon now, so why don’t we eat here first?”

“I agree with Lady Velvet. While searching for the Shieldrake, I found several places serving delicious-looking food.”

“Of course I agree too. Let’s decide based on your passion.”

“We don’t know the food anyway, so it doesn’t really matter who chooses. Let’s just pick whatever catches our eye.”

So, before heading to Velvet’s next destination, we decided to have lunch.

As expected from a market, there were many food stalls, and since the cuisine was foreign, there seemed to be a wide variety of unusual dishes.

As for me, I still wasn’t even used to the food of the Grayland Kingdom, so everything already felt strange anyway.

While discussing where to eat, we ended up entering a shop that dealt in meat.

It seemed they would cook the meat sold outside right inside the shop, and we chose it simply because it looked the most normal.

“Can we get three servings of your recommendation?”

“Of course! I’ll grill it right away, so wait at your seats!”

The shopkeeper had a similar vibe to the one from the Shieldrake stall, and he immediately started grilling the recommended cuts.

It felt like an outdoor izakaya—slightly dirty, but in a way that added to its charm.

“Sorry for the wait! Bread’s free service, so eat it alternately with the meat!”

“Thank you. Let’s eat.”

The freshly grilled meat smelled extremely delicious.

They also brought a strange-colored sauce, but I decided to stick with salt from my own supplies.

With high expectations, I took a big bite—but the smell was quite strong.

A gamey odor filled my nose every time I chewed, making it hard to call it “delicious.”

“It has a very unique taste, but it’s not bad.”

“Yeah. Maybe it’s the sauce?”

While I managed to swallow my portion, Sheila and Velvet were unfazed.

It seemed the strange-colored sauce was masking the smell, making it taste much better when used.

I regretted thinking salt would go well with good meat, as it completely backfired, and from my second bite onward I started eating it with the sauce.

Even with the sauce, it didn’t quite reach “delicious,” but it was still a decent experience overall.