First, we're going to magic tools shop.
This shop isn't just a magic books and magic tools shop, but also an alchemy shop and a bookstore. The shopkeeper is wearing a hood and a thin veil that hide her face, save for her eyes, so I can't see it well. Since the AR indicates that she's 16 years old, she's probably the daughter of the real shopkeeper.
When we go inside the shop, I see the girl is wearing glasses with green lenses, so I ask Nana to wait outside. The explanation from the AR is confusing like always, but since it looks like an inferior version of Yamato stone, I can't risk Nana's race from getting known.
"Hello, I'd like to buy reagents for potion, do you have any in stock?"
"I could sell you three packages. 1 silver coin each. We're a bit short in magic cores, so I won't give you discount. If you don't want to, you can stop."
Oh, it's an old woman's voice. Is she using some sort of weird voice-changing magic tools?
I'm given a small paper, like some sort of prescription from doctors, when I receive the packages. I think her profit is a bit too high, but since the price is in line with the market price according to estimation skill, it's not like she's overcharging.
By the way, the potion reagent is powder that glitter when it's used. It has other various uses too, it's an indispensable material for training.
Come to think of it, monsters in this territory were awfully scarce.
I don't feel like buying with these prices indeed. Since I have books with the instruction, should I just make one myself? Let's just buy the needed materials.
"Then, do you have stabilizers?"
"Yes, if it's stabilizers, I have a lot. If you have magic cores, won't you share it?"
What an abrupt girl. Asking me to sell the magic cores.
Then I remember the main material for potion's reagent and stabilizer.
I take out a magic core from my pocket and estimate its market price on my palm. It's about three times pricier than in Seryuu city. Yet, it's still only 3 big copper coins. I put five on the table.
"You, stop putting magic cores inside your pocket even if you keep them together with stabilizer powder. What would you do if they absorb magic power when you use magic and explode?"
What the, they explode huh.
That reminds me, the ants legs were exploding as well.
I thank the girl for the advice and ask her the right method to keep them. It seems that you have to smear them in stabilizer and then cover them together in cloths.
The girl speaks ill of the magic cores, like, "They're small", or, "The color is light", but she still buy them for 4 big copper coins each. Since it's just right, I buy stabilizer worth of that price.
The girl comes back from the back with about 10 kilograms bag of stabilizer. That bag is somehow lightly floating while following beside the girl.
Ooh, that looks magic-like, or rather, like a magic trick.
"Is that magic?"
"This is self-propelling board . It's not really a rare magic, isn't it?"
Although she's saying that, I could see her looking slightly proud. If I recall right, that magic name does appear in the introductory magic book.
I confirm the stabilizer that she have brought. The AR says, [Stabilizer/Fine Powder of Ugi Leaves]. The market price is 5 gold coins. 1 gold coin is equal to 20 big copper coins, so they're too much for reimbursing the magic cores.
"They're fine powder of Ugi leaves, are they."
"That's right, you know well. These are rare around here, but just before, a merchant brought them in mass as a payment for medicines. Before they're spoiled."
"I think this quantity is too much for 20 big copper coins though?"
"You, you know value of things huh."
"And I don't think I need that much though?"
"Please don't say that, I'll trade it for half the market price, so won't you take it?"
"Are you looking for gold coins?"
I could buy it, but do I need this much?
"No no, I need magic cores rather than gold, won't you share a bit more?"
Well, they're ingredients for making potion reagent so she probably guess that I still have more, but what does she want to use it for?
"You know that there will be a fighting tournament in the Ougock Dukedom next month, right? The participating knights are buying large amounts of potion from the alchemists. So they can't make potion for the sick people."
I see, there's such tournament huh. I don't know if this girl would use it the way she's saying, but it's evident that she's desperate. I have a lot anyway, so it's fine to give 10 more, I guess.
"I would like these and another 10 magic cores of the same level."
"I'm not sure if I have that many, but I'll thoroughly check my stock."
"Please do so, you can bring these stabilizer ahead."
I bring the stabilizer to the wagon and put it away in the storage, then I'm choosing magic cores. Since it'd look suspicious if they're all exactly the same, I mix the 10 magic cores suitably. I blend 1 high level one among them. It's a core that worths 3 silver coins.
I believe this is from a bone golem. I can know the price with estimation skill, but I want to find out the reaction of a professional when they see one.
"How about these?"
"You're fast, the qualities are the same like before, are they. Huh? This one is the only awfully nice core."
It's the strongish core I've blended
"Is it to your liking?"
"Yes, I'm saved. I could make stronger medicine with this."
I see, according to this reaction, I could take out magic cores from monsters with level up to 20 without problem.
It's not written in up to intermediate book, but it seems that depending on magic cores level used, the resulting reagent rank would be different.
"As a gratitude, you can take one from among these."
While saying so, the girl searches the shelves with rustling sounds and bring out three scrolls.
AR indication says, [Scroll, Magic Art:Shield], [Scroll, Magic Art:Sonar], [Scroll, Magic Art:Short Stun]. Each is priced at 5-6 silver coins.
How do I say this, the shop will go bankrupt if this girl keep working here.
Every one of them seems to be an elementary magic art scroll. Shield is the most difficult among these.
"I'm sorry, even though you're especially offering this for me, I already have beginner level magic books..."
"You, do you not know how scrolls are used? These are disposable magic tools. Put magic power into it while uttering the command word to use it, it's convenient when you're attacked by monsters."
Hoo? That's great.
"That means, you can use them even without magic art skills?"
"You can use them. You'll use 20-30% more magic power, but there is no weird repercussion like if a person without skill chants the magic."
I see, that's convenient.
But, they looks easy to abuse-- I guess that's why, it was limited in Seryuu city.
That's right, are there scrolls for life magic?
"Do you have scrolls for life magic?"
"None, if you have money to buy such things, isn't it cheaper to just hire charm users?"
Unfortunately, there's none. It seems since the production cost for making the scroll is no different to other magic, there's no one who make them.
But, Nana can use those magics besides short stun. By the way, in addition with the two, Nana can also use, [Magic Arrow], [Body Reinforcement (Light Boost)], and [Signal].
"If possible, could you let me have the three of them? Of course, I will pay the other two with cash."
"I'm sorry, but if I sell more than one, the officials would get noisy."
I decide to buy [Shield] scroll after being at loss for a while.
Let's try to use it when we get out of the town.