Chapter 297: A Suspicious Shop

We arrived at a small ruin-like building, similar to the black-hooded shopkeeper’s store.

Since I had been full of expectations, I felt a little disappointed when I saw the exterior.

When we entered, I became even more disappointed. It was just an ordinary tool shop with no special features.

The prices seemed slightly cheaper, but the selection of goods was honestly poor.

“Is this the shop you recommend?”

“It is, but… don’t rush it!”

After saying that, Barnett went with the black-hooded shopkeeper to speak with the clerk standing at the counter.

After a short conversation, it seemed they got some kind of permission, and Barnett called us over.

“Velvet, Sheila, what is in this place?”

“I have no idea either. This is my first time coming to the east side.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know either. Still, this is a little exciting.”

I asked the two of them because I was anxious, but since they were in the same situation as me, they didn’t seem to know anything either.

That made me even more nervous, but I didn’t think Barnett was a bad person, so it should be fine.

Feeling both nervous and excited, just like Sheila, I headed over to Barnett. Then, suddenly, one of the product shelves began to move.

It seemed to be a hidden door mechanism, the kind you often see in movies and anime. Beneath the shifted shelf, a hidden staircase appeared.

“A-Amazing! What is this mechanism?”

“Heh-heh, surprised, aren’t you? The shop upstairs is a fake. The real shop is down below!”

“I got you in through my recommendation. Please make sure you don’t tell anyone about this.”

“We understand.”

After the black-hooded shopkeeper reminded us firmly, we went down the hidden staircase.

The floor below opened up into a fantastical shop that felt exactly like something from a fantasy world.

The front area had magic-related goods, rare items, and artifacts, while the back area displayed all kinds of living creatures.

There was even something that looked like a tiny dragon. The difference from the upper floor was so striking that I couldn’t hide my surprise.

“There was a place like this? Somehow… compared to the other shops, this is amazing.”

“It really is. Starting with the hidden staircase and then this interior. Since I was disappointed earlier, my excitement has shot up.”

“The items for sale are all things I’ve never seen before. I’m especially curious about the area in the back where the living creatures are displayed.”

It wasn’t just me. Velvet and Sheila also looked excited.

I was overcome with the desire to take my time looking around, but then a woman in a black dress appeared from the back, smoking something like a cigar.

Her age was hard to guess, and her beauty and figure made her look youthful.

She was also incredibly seductive, so I truly couldn’t tell how old she was.

“Oh my, Barnett came along too? I thought you wouldn’t come because you wouldn’t want to see my face.”

“I only came along because this is a job! They’re my guests too, so if you lay a hand on them, I won’t forgive you!”

“You’re as stupid as ever. I wouldn’t touch them without a reason.”

The extremely alluring woman exchanged light banter with Barnett.

Then she turned her gaze toward us and slowly walked over.

“Hello. I’m Christina, the owner of this shop. Feel free to call me Chris.”

“Chris, then. My name is Sato. And these two are Velvet and Sheila.”

“Velvet? I see. Now I understand why Barnett is guarding you. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

She extended her hand, so I immediately shook it.

Her hand was so cold, like ice, that my body flinched.

“So, what are you looking for?”

“We’re not looking for anything in particular, but if we find something interesting, we’d like to buy it.”

“Hm? Come to think of it, didn’t you say you wanted an aura bird? Chris, you sell aura birds, don’t you?”

“Yes. They’re in that cage over there.”

Aura birds.

The very birds we had reluctantly given up on earlier.

When we followed Chris’s guidance, there were indeed aura birds inside a birdcage.

However, the price was on a completely different level from the aura birds we saw earlier.

Were these rare variants or something?

“The aura birds we saw on the street earlier were about one-tenth the price. Are these aura birds rare species?”

“No. The ones sold on the street are individuals captured through poaching. These ones are bred birds traded through proper channels.”

“So the ones being sold on the street really were illegal.”

“Hehe. Nothing sold on that street is legal. The price here is closer to the actual market rate. Well, even this is cheaper than the usual price, you know?”

I thought they were expensive, but considering their appearance and abilities, maybe the price was fair.

Still, ten platinum coins was expensive.

“I’ll buy one.”

While I was hesitating because of the price, Sheila made that declaration.

I think her quick decision came from the fact that she had been forced to give up earlier.

“Oh my, how decisive. Are you sure one is enough? If you buy two, they may be able to breed.”

“T-Then I’ll buy the other one.”

When Chris recommended that Sheila buy another, I made the declaration this time.

Part of me wanted to look around more before deciding, but I had also wanted to buy an aura bird.

If I thought about the future, even ten platinum coins shouldn’t be too expensive… probably.