Ch 19: Exam Prep - Part 3

"Uhm, this price for these items is fixed, so I cannot get you a reduction…ugh, please, let me check again. I can get you some discount if I work around something…"

The shopkeeper looked more and more disturbed by the second. She had sweat running down her face as she looked at Mary.

It made Layla certain she was not the only one Mary spooked out by her actions.

"Please look for what I want you to. I don't want you to restock a lot more because you made a mistake accidentally."

The shopkeeper seemed to know what that meant, and her shiver made Layla feel sorry for her.

But that did not mean that Layla would extend a helping hand to her. 

"I have reached this final price after all the 'new' calculations. Please let me know if you find anything odd with it. I will try to work around things if that were to be the case."

Layla looked at the new price, which was almost half the original. It seemed like a steal, but Mary did not move to take the list.

The shopkeeper sighed and decided to take the paperback one last time.

"Here! This is the price it cost me to buy these. I cannot possibly go any lower than this. Please, think about my finances and situation as well. I am taking a huge loss on this deal."

Mary finally grabbed the paper from the shopkeeper's hand and paid the price.

Once the earrings were in the maid's hand, she quickly put them on Layla. 

The red of the earrings suited Layla quite well. It made her skin pop out more, and the small size felt perfect for her six-year-old body.

"Thank you, mam! We will stop by again if we want to buy something."

Mary spoke as she paid the money.

The sour expression on the shopkeeper's face told her, 'Please, don't.' But the shopkeeper kept her mouth shut and continued to smile at Layla.

Finally, the pair came out of the shop, and Mary smiled at Layla.

"So, how do you like your new earrings? Do they suit you?"

"I'll give them a review once I use them. For now, we should head out and get the rest of the material we are missing for the mission. I would like to get a few more necessities before I leave for the main test the day after."

Layla left early to shop, but much of what she wanted to buy had already been sold out.

In the end, Layla got an outdoor sleeping bag, food, and water in a container. She also brought a teleportation spell for emergencies, which cost her an arm and a leg (or a few more debts to Mary. Honestly, just how rich a servant was).

But Layla was satisfied with today's haul and felt ready for the test.

"Mary, do you know what the test is actually about? Instead of running around in circles, I would like a solid plan for what I must do."

Layla asked, knowing fully well that this was cheating. 

But how would anyone find out? And it was not like Layla was the only one willing to ask this question to others. She was sure that other students were doing the same.

"Young miss, are you thinking of cheating? It will not be right for me to tell you what the test is about-"

"Fine, then I will ask someone else. If you do not know what the test is about, you can just say so. I will not ask you this question again."

Layla assured, and Mary's mask finally had a crack in it. 

'Ah, I knew that Mary had a fragile ego. So, will she bite the bait or not!'

Layla noticed one thing about Mary: she always needed to get the last word.

The older female was like that with Layla and others, and Layla was interested in exploiting that habit.

"Miss, I know much more about this test than you might think. I know the answer you need to seek and where to find it."

Mary boasted, but Layla pretended that she had not heard her.

"Oh! Is that so? Your behavior did not show the same, so I was unsure if your statement was true. I am still unsure if you are telling me the truth."

Layla looked at Mary right in the eye with a questionable look. And that was enough to trigger Mary.

"The objective of this test is simple - you need to survive in the forest for two days and not use the emergency button. But there is a secret second part of the test. If you find one of the three magic stones hidden in the forest, you will automatically be placed in the top 3.

These stones are kept near the river bank, the cave lake, and the den of the local monster. You don't have to believe me if you don't want to."

Mary spoke, and it did not seem like she was trying to trick Layla.

The maid had realized she was sprouting words in the middle of her speech, but it was too late to take her words back.

So, she could only finish speaking and mince her words.

Layla pretended she did not notice, mainly to avoid trouble with Layla.

But this information was helpful.

Layla had a master in mind she wanted to recommend as her mentor. She had means of improving her core, but that alone would not help her make money.

What Layla needed was a reliable way of making money, and drug-uhm…potions were the best source of money this world had.

It made even ordinary people capable of doing things that were usually impossible for them to achieve.

And Layla's current goal was to learn the potions from the person she had researched about the whole week.

'No one else can be my Potion Master except that guy. If he was good enough to be in the Main Character's party, he is good enough for me to exploit.'