Nier and I walked to the streets after we left that weird shop. We left the slums and entered the market area. This is the market at the centre of the imperial capital. It’s said that as long as it exists, you’ll be able to find it for sale somewhere here, which is why I came here to take a stroll. The good part about living with humanity is that I have access to money which is pre-prepared for me.
The currency system of humanity is much more complex than that of the elves. The money that I have on me currently is the currency manufactured by the empire with the empress’s face on it. A gold coin here is worth about sixteen silver coins. The silver coins are separated into the empires silver coins and Castor’s silver coins. The difference is the overlapping swords and anchor. An empire silver coin is worth one-hundred bronze coins, while the silver coins from Castor are worth one-hundred and five bronze coins. Based on the principles of macroeconomics taught in university, we know that the value of Castor’s silver coins are currently higher than the empire’s.
But in terms of quality, they contained pretty much the same amount of silver. The value of coins is determined by how much metal is within the coin. In other words, the amount of silver in a silver coin determines its value.
There should be about the same amount of silver in both silver coins. Therefore, they should be fairly even. People usually invest in the US dollar in foreign exchange investments because the US is large and their currency is versatile. The same applies here when explaining the existence of two currencies. It goes to show that these two have the greatest influence on the market. The empress’s empire is powerful and rules over humanity, so logically speaking, she should also have control over the finance system. Yet the empress’s empire has two currencies. This fact shocked me. That goes to show the importance of Castor to them.
But it’s got nothing to do with me. I looked around at the stalls selling all types of food. There was roasted eel, beer, barbeques, and bread. A variety of food aromas filled the air. I couldn’t resist the urge to buy some and taste them.
“Nier, do you want some?”
Nier looked at me and replied: “No.”
I hesitated for a bit and then said: “It might taste really good.”
Nier folded her arms and coldly said: “I don’t eat foods from outside.”
I smiled bitterly and said: “Girls like this aren’t cute at all.”
“The thought of trying to create a cute impression on you has never crossed my mind, so please don’t measure me using your standards of girls. Hmph.”
I smiled helplessly as I scratched my head. We then reached a storefront. The boss looked at me, and said with a smile: “What would you like to eat? We have roasted eel. They just hit the market and are fresh.”
“I’d like a serving of roasted eel and a beer then.”
“Sure. Please take a seat and wait for your order.”
I arrived at the seat by the table. Nier placed her long sword on the table and sat across from me. She rested her face in her hands as she watched the crowds. She didn’t look like she wanted to talk to me. We’re always silent around each other if there are no matters to discuss. If I was with Lucia I wonder how much stuff she’d be lugging around by now.
The food here is indeed significantly better than what the elves offered.
The roast eel was soon served up and I dug in with my fork and knife…
Grilled and roast meats are the best wherever you go! I wolfed down mouthfuls of the eel and beer. How nice. Delicious food can really improve a person’s mood. Everything that happened before meant nothing now with the eel in my mouth.
Nier continued scanning the surroundings with a cold look. Gourmet foods have no allure to her. I started to suspect if Nier was actually a normal human.
“Nier, are you sure you don’t want to try some?”
Nier coldly rejected me: “I don’t.”
I sighed and continued slowly enjoying my food on my own.
*Dong Dong Dong*
Just as I got to my seventh piece, a bell rang out in the market area. I turned around and saw a stage erected at the centre of the market where the crowd was gathering. The store owner wiped his sweat, looked at me and said: “That’s the market auction that’s conducted every hour. I have no idea what they’re auctioning this time. Last time it was a gold plate from the palace which was supposedly used by her majesty…”
“WHAT?!”
“Nier, calm down! Her majesty never uses gold plates.”
I forcefully pressed down on Nier’s long sword. Her majesty doesn’t use gold plates. I remember she used a porcelain plate last time. But there’s a chance it was used at a national banquet or something. Whatever the case, I need to calm Nier down first!
“…Hmph!”
Nier thought about it for a moment before putting her sword away. I let out a sigh of relief, turned around, threw down a silver Castor coin, and then walked over to the crowd. I’m interested in auctions, but I’m slightly worried. Is it alright to enter an auction without a few million? Oh, wait, there aren’t any servants that’d cost that much here.
I checked my wallet. I still have a fair number of gold coins. It should be enough. Worse comes to worse, I just won’t win it.
“Come and take a look everyone! This is our fifth auction today! The good up for bidding this time is a bit special! It’s a live product!”
“Ooohh!!”
The people below exclaimed with wows while the people on the stage were shouting into a loudspeaker.
A live product? Is it a hound? A horse? Don’t auctioneers usually put those sorts of expensive animals up for sale?
The person on the stage reached his hand out and waved it to indicate to those below to bring the goods up. I tippy-toed up which took a bit out of me to look over the crowd.
What I saw shocked me. It was a girl.
A completely naked girl.
Her hands were tied up with a rope and she staggered as she was pulled to the centre of the stage, and lifelessly knelt down like a beast of burden. She was covered in injuries, but underneath her injuries, her skin was white as milk. Her body was extremely beautiful while her small face was pretty and cute. And her ears…
Her ears were pointy.
She’s an elf!!
I took in a cold breath of air, turned around vigorously to look at Nier. Nier still stood there with her arms folded without a care. I looked at her and asked: “Nier, do humans permit auctioning elves?”
Nier shrugged and said: “Anything that belongs to a bankrupt noble family can be auctioned, including servants. She must be a slave of a noble family that went bankrupt. In principle, it’s not illegal because they’re already bankrupt. As such, they can deal with their things as they please.”
“But… Auctioning people…”
Nier growled: “How are elves any different to dogs?”
Her eyes showed a rarely seen expression of rage and she tightened her grip on her scabbard as she continued: “The elves killed so many of our people ten years ago. If I could bid, I’d buy her so that I can personally decapitate her.”
“Both sides are equally to blame in war! It’s not her fault!”
Nier closed her eyes and said: “You’re a mixed-blood. It doesn’t matter to you who wins, but it’s different for me. I became orphaned because of that war.”
“Alright… I certainly can’t understand your pain… But… I’m going to buy that elf.”
“Join the auction then.”
Nier opened her eyes to look at me and said: “You’re the person that has an entire kingdom to himself.”
Translator Comments: I saw a comment about a Discord. The answer is no. There’s no real point, I don’t know how to work the darn thing, there’s a myriad of ways for you all to discuss the series as is, and if it was more so that you could get quicker answers out of me, then that’s not going to happen as I don’t have chat windows or whatever you call them as I work, and most of you should already know my work habits.
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