Trade

"Wait, you what?"

Wisp was outside with the cavernoid and the cephlorod. Usually, it would be a greeting, but they opened up with something new.

"You heard me. Cavernoid are built to serve as military units. We aren't really fit to live independently."

"But... me?"

"Well, we've been giving it some thought. Ultimately, this cephlorod had taken quite a liking to you. He was the deciding factor."

[Beast tamer level 4. Can store up to 4 monsters.]

"Are you really ok with having a master weaker than you are?"

"It has nothing to do with strength, but everything to do with worth. Plus, I'm pretty sure you'll skyrocket past me in due time. I mean, you're already level 19 in just a few months. That's pretty good progress."

And Midro was level 18. Both the cavernoid and the cephlorod haven't changed levels since Wisp first met them.

"Well, we do have a spare room. You could just stay in there for now. Or I could just... desummon you."

"Thank you, sir Wisp. Would you mind if I called you my liege?"

"Do whatever makes you feel comfortable."

Wisp formed a magic circle under the two. They became added to his party. Two boxes popped up asking if he wanted to give them names.

"Would you two like names?"

"Yes please, my liege."

"Ok... uh... how about Argriss and Igneous."

"Perfect names, my liege. I shall now serve under you as Argriss."

Igneous nuzzled against Wisp like a giant, overgrown pet, making Midro jealous. Looks like he had two pets now.

About two weeks have passed since then. Nowadays, Wisp uses Igneous as his new ride. He could go up to 140 miles an hour and has absurd stamina. It was like riding a car. He got Wisp from point A to point B in minutes.

They were riding out like they usually did on their weekly scouting.

"Alright boy. Looks like no one's out here. Let's-"

"Excuse me."

Wisp heard a girl's voice, which shocked and slightly unsettled him. He turned around to the voice.

It was what was by all definition, a cat girl. She has long, wavy amber colored hair and dark hazel eyes. She has curled cat ears and a matching fluffy cat tail. She wore a purple headband in her hair, a ruffled buttoned white-sleeved t-shirt covered with a purple waistcoat and a purple skirt, with black leggings and amber-heeled slip-on shoes.

She spoke with a soft, British accent.

"Can I borrow a moment of your time, mister?"

"Who are you?"

The girl pulled out what looked to be a wallet. She pulled out a card from the wallet and showed it to me. It was a silver card with a punch of words and markings on it.

[Name: Syrup Cinnamon. Merchant guild. Rank: Silver. Race: Nekomarin. Abilities Spatial storage and eye of appraisal. Level: 11]

[Merchant guild members are ranked by color instead of letter like adventurers.]

[The order goes jade, bronze, silver, gold, platinum, diamond, and obsidian.]

"I was wondering if you'd be interested in buying some lavish items."

Wisp didn't trust this woman. Maybe it's because she had a very nice body and face that resembled his ex-wife. He wanted to get out of there and fast.

"Sorry, but I don't have any money."

"But you're an adventurer, are you not? A beast tamer, right?"

Wisp forgot he was still on Igneous' back. The beast looked back at his master on his back. Wisp petted Igneous' mane and smiled.

"I'm a beast tamer, but not an adventurer."

"You just learned it and... came out here. I don't buy it. Where are you really from? Plus, that's a rogue dagger on your waist."

She was smart. In this world, aside from the hero and demon king, any combat skill can be learned with enough patience and determination. But, usually, only one skill is given to people and they can't learn another, so people must choose carefully. Having two skills is extremely rare and having three is basically impossible.

Syrup used appraising eye on Wisp and saw his three skills. Rouge level 18. Cleric level 7. Beast tamer level 4.

"You're abnormal. And you must have valuables on you. If you want, we could form a contract. I could sell your items in town for you."

Wisp didn't know what to do. He was still a bit untrusting of women, but Syrup wasn't exactly a woman. Plus, he knew he couldn't keep this pain in his heart forever, so this was a good start.

"Fine. But all my items are back at my house."

"You can just use your cephlorod."

"Igneous, are you okay with this?"

He nodded his head. If it was his master's will, he would obey. Igneous then rode his master and the mysterious woman back to their house. It was nightfall, so Argriss was already asleep in the spare room, which he filled with some of his treasures.

Midro ran up to him and hugged his leg like she did every time Wisp came back home. He rubbed and played with her soft and squishy face, making her coo and bark.

"Cute volane. Does she have a name?"

"Midro."

"How'd you get that name?"

"... It means something to me."

Syrup sits down in a chair in the house next to an empty shelf. She kicks her feet back up on the table like she owns the place.

"So, whatcha got?"

Wisp opened his inventory and looked through his items. He took out various objects, to Syrup's surprise.

"Is that... spatial magic?"

"Not sure."

Wisp didn't want to reveal his secrets to Syrup. He barely knew the woman. It was dangerous to reveal such personal information too quickly to a complete stranger.

"Wow. I'm surprised. And both the items and skills you have. Let's see... out of all of these, I can take the sweet slime cores, the horizon wolf body parts, the goblin teeth, the rock bird beaks, the water slime cores, and the shedded Volane Kitsune fur."

"How much will I get?"

"As of now... about 60 silver pieces. Which is actually a decent amount all things considered. In my contracts, I take anywhere from 25-40% of profits depending on the item type. You'd make... about 68% of your money."

"You're not scamming me, are you?"

"If I was, you're cephlorod would have snapped me in two by now. It's fine if you don't want to decide now. I'm in the area till the following day, so I have time. I'll be in a small village 5 miles north of here."

Syrup gets up to leave. On the way out, she flips a coin in the air. She puts one foot out the door but stops before she fully leaves. She turns back to Wisp while catching the coin.

"Oh, and by the way, don't even think about trying to tame me."

She leaves right there, closing the door behind her with a smile on her face. Argriss comes out, confused by the noise.

"My liege, did someone just leave."

"I'll explain in the morning."