Chapter 78 - Commoratory special of the book publication - “Discount Dragon”
“You’re not selling, eh.”
“Indeed I’m not…”
It was a long, long ti ago. A story from when I was only around a hundred years old and my body was still small. I was lying on the stone pavent in the central market of the ancient kingdom, now only known in the annals of history by its na, waiting for a buyer.
Written on a wooden board hanging from my neck was: Talking dragon - price negotiable. The elderly rchant sitting next to on a mat wearing a long, white beard was my 35th successive buyer. Although I’ve been endlessly passed around on the market - my next buyer couldn’t be found, so this elderly rchant had been raising for quite a while. Thanks to that my speech got influenced.
That day the surging crowd passed before my eyes as usual, with no ill-inford person willing to buy in sight.
I apologetically lowered my head to the laid-back elderly rchant gulping down his alcohol in dayti.
“I’m sorry. Even though I always remain behind, you’re feeding with good vegetables daily… Isn’t that called being in the red?”
“No worries, those are just scraps. Leaving my goods with empty stomach would spell poor business.”
“Still, I’m feeling bad. Since I’m not selling anyway, maybe I should earn so small change doing a spectacle around here.”
“You better give it up. If you wander around aimlessly you’ll just wind up locked in a kennel for fighting dogs like the other day.”
“Riiight, that happened before…”
Just before I was bought by this old rchant, I was sent into a dogfight cage by my previous owner, who demanded to earn as a high-revenue spectacle.
Yet, ultimately, even the dog didn’t give a second glance and the match’s ti ran out, so the contest ended up being awful and the booing was terrible. I ended up getting banned from entry because apparently I “imnsely dampened the dogs’ fighting spirit.” I think that ban is still in place, but I cannot exclude the possibility of being dragged into a similar dangerous event.
“Then if being a spectacle doesn’t work, I guess I’ve got to do my best to sell properly. Say, how cheap can you lower my price?”
“Let’s see… I bought you for a price of one loaf of bread, so sothing along those lines if possible. If a likely buyer appears I’m willing to halve it.”
“So I was worth a loaf of bread… Hearing it spelled out like that is quite a shock.”
“Well, I don’t think you’ll sell anyway.”
“I guess not. I also think it’s hopeless… still, I want to try putting on airs a little bit.”
The rchant showed a broad smile fitting a good-natured old man, telling to do as I liked. Enthusiastic, I took a step forward onto the market’s alley, intending to show off my pride as a man.
“Pay attention everyone! For a limited ti only, you can now buy for the price of one loaf of bread!”
Entirely ignored.
Feeling awkward I turned back to the old rchant, who was still drinking with a gentle smile plastered over his face. Only, there was no sign of helping out.
“I-I am herbivorous so my food expenses are low, and if it isn’t too hard I’ll do my best as a spectacle! Ah, but things like jumping through fire rings and dogfighting are a no! Sa with balancing on a ball, it’s scary. The safe and easy ones.”
Again, no one stopped.
Why…? Certainly, I’ve no earning ability to speak of, but I also don’t have maintenance costs. If they just buy and make earn so change wouldn’t they profit a little?
“There’s no one but rchants in this area. Since rchants are quite superstitious, they’re not eager to buy rchandise bringing bad luck.”
The elderly rchant explained as if disclosing a secret.
“Bad luck?”
“To be frank, you’re a lizard imitating a dragon, scam-like goods. It’s the norm for everyone to think that if they were to get involved with sham rchandise their luck might take a turn for the worse.”
“Old man, you don’t mind?”
“Look, I’m half-retired already. On the contrary, if I leave you around I won’t be as busy.”
“Are you calling sales poison?”
I beca slightly vexed, my spirit burning in defiance to show I can be sold no matter what it takes. Then after thinking I finally ca up with an idea.
“Hey I’ve thought of a solution. If rchants won’t buy , how about going door to door and peddling to private residences? Except rchants, other people might buy right?”
“’You’re right on ti, we were lacking ingredients for an evening stew. At the price of one loaf of bread, this amount of at is a great deal.’ It’d be nice if it didn’t turn out like that…”
“No, I was just saying. After all it’d be rude to go and bother everybody like that. I have my manners, yes.”
I tried to dig even deeper for ideas.
“Admitting I’ve no value, wouldn’t it be worth it to throw in so freebies?”
The old rchant tilted his head and asked slowly.
“Freebies…? For example what?”
“Like if they buy for the price of one bread, they get a loaf extra for free.”
“Then it’s better to simply buy the bread.”
Despite being the one who said it, I had to agree. Having a worthless lizard stuck to you is just a nuisance.
“We might as well try deception and say we’re giving so absurd freebies. Like, if you buy you’ll beco Dragon’s Kin and amazing magic power will take root inside you.”
“You mustn’t lie like that. Masking a lie as the truth, if you go and start saying things randomly you never know when they’ll go around and co back to bite you in the behind.”
“No waay. There’s absolutely no magic power in , no need to worry like that.”
Fufu, the elderly rchant laughed. It was a laugh as if he was gazing at sothing far away.
“To tell you the truth, I happen to know of only one person who can buy you. Wanna hear?”
“Eh? Really? Seeing it’s soone who thinks I’m worth sothing, I’m more than willing to.”
Against my bubbling excitent and wagging tail, the elderly rchant tautly pointed his index finger at .
“… Hm? Did I do sothing?”
“I’m telling that it’s you. You can buy yourself. You, who have always been bought and sold by humans may have not experienced it, but the freedom of being able to go anywhere is quite a thing. How about it, don’t you want to give it a try?”
After staring blankly for a while, I let out a laugh.
“That was a good one. I’ve no money after all. Besides, isn’t there sothing wrong with goods buying themselves out?”
“The price… You don’t have to worry about it now.”
“Hm? What did you say?”
Once I asked, the elderly rchant shook his head as though he wanted to dodge the question.
“You don’t need to worry about it. Now then, what will you do? You seem to have many years still ahead of you, wouldn’t it be fine to tour the world on your own four legs?”
“Well… Okay. As long as there’s grass I can live pretty much anywhere. It might be nice not to have to worry about being sold.”
It’s embarrassing to say, but the of that ti didn’t know of the existing demon nace away from the human settlents. When I demonstrated an affirmative response, the old rchant nodded saying ‘it’s decided then’.
“You probably have to prepare ntally, there’s no need to rush imdiately. You can depart whenever you feel like it.”
―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――
There were two things that the who gained freedom like this learned later. First off, the elderly rchant who passed away several years after I left was apparently extolled as a master tradesman, able to discern the true value of any commodity, “The God of Appraisal.”
And the second one, I’ve understood only after around 4900 years. The words “The price… You don’t have to worry about it now” that the elderly rchant said, were probably…
“UGyyaaaaa――――――――――!!”
Just when I thought I’ve finally appeased the berserk and transford into a half-dragon Rēko, now she started a rampage in a different sense.
Forced into a flight by Rēko’s wings, after we smashed through the ceiling of Lady Saintess’ barrier I overlooked from far above the town converted into a bog.
“Evil Dragon Lord, it feels like I can achieve anything now. Let us swiftly deal with this so-called Demon King and step onto our path of destiny toward the world’s salvation. It’s clear to now that everything ‘till this mont has rely been a prelude to raising the final curtain.”
At that ti, the elderly rchant must’ve talked about the paynt of 4900 years accrued interest. Although I had no proof, sohow I was sure of it.
Reviews
All reviews (0)