novelraw Chapter 53: The Pauper
Chapter 53: The Pauper
As an underground drainage system that ran through Pelican Town and covered nearly half of the Southern Forest, the sewers were far larger in scale than what the game depicted.
Of course, most of the space was still taken up by the foul water in the reservoir. But thanks to man-made walkways, there was at least a way to get around without wading through the muck.
By the faint glow of the luminous moss, Leon wandered aimlessly through the sewers. His eyes occasionally swept the surroundings, but aside from the slick, wet stone bricks underfoot and the vast pools of green, glowing wastewater beyond, there was nothing else in sight.
He realized he’d been a bit reckless—coming into the sewers without bringing any proper lighting. The glow from the moss wasn’t nearly bright enough to let him see far ahead.
Still, since he was already here, it would be a waste to turn back empty-handed. He moved forward cautiously; after all, one careless slip on the slick stone could send him sprawling.
“Is anyone here?”
After walking for a while longer without spotting the particular figure he was looking for, Leon finally called out in a tentative voice.
Only his own echo answered him, which left him puzzled.
A little over a minute later, he suddenly caught sight of a shadowy mass in the distance. It was just as dark as its surroundings, yet somehow it didn’t belong to them.
Leon instinctively pulled an axe from his System Backpack and held it in front of his chest. It was the most dangerous weapon he had on hand.“I mean no harm, human. I heard you calling,” the shadow spoke. It seemed to notice Leon’s defensive stance and made no move beyond the spot where Leon had first seen it. Its tone was calm, even friendly.
“Krobus?” Leon asked cautiously.
“You know my name? But I don’t know you.” The shadow tilted its hollow gaze at him in puzzlement. “Who told you about me? You’re not a monster hunter from the Adventurer’s Guild, are you?”
The moment Krobus voiced his suspicion, his figure vanished from Leon’s sight. But his voice still echoed from somewhere unseen.
“State your purpose, human. I don’t want to fight. I have no ill will. I live here with the Guardian’s permission.”
“I have no ill will either, Krobus. I just came to buy something from you. I heard you sell certain… special goods.” Realizing the misunderstanding, Leon hurried to explain.
“I don’t trust you, human,” Krobus replied, his voice still coming from the shadows.
“You can ask Wizard Rasmodius. I really mean you no harm,” Leon said, hiding the axe behind his back.
“The Guardian? You know the Guardian? Oh… right, you bear traces of Forest Magic. You’re a wizard too.” After a moment of silent scrutiny, Krobus finally stepped out of the shadows.
Not that it made much difference—his black, mist-like form with stubby limb-like tendrils and a round, oversized body was almost as hard to distinguish from the darkness as before. Without the moss’s glow, Leon doubted he could see Krobus at all.
“So, human visitor, what do you want to buy? I don’t go out much anymore, but I still have a few things humans might find interesting.”
Seeing that Leon wasn’t afraid or hostile, Krobus relaxed, but didn’t forget to ask about his guest’s needs.
“Do you have an Iridium Sprinkler?” Leon asked, glancing again at Krobus’s unusual appearance before getting to the point.
“Not at the moment,” Krobus shook his head. “That’s not easy to come by.”
“What do you have then?” Leon asked, a little disappointed.
“I have Magic Essence, Solar Essence, Void Essence, slime jelly, bat wings, and the Universal Crystal Cave. If you have enough money, I can even sell you a Starfruit.”
“How much for the Starfruit?” Leon wasn’t in urgent need of the essences or monster drops, but a Starfruit—mysterious, magical, and said to grant power to whoever consumed it—was tempting.
“Twenty thousand. No bargaining,” Krobus said flatly.
“That’s steep. I can’t afford it.” Leon shelved the idea immediately. He barely had five thousand to his name.
Krobus didn’t seem surprised. Even though he wasn’t human, he knew human market prices well enough—human currency was valuable even among his kind.
Seeing Leon’s predicament, Krobus offered a hint of encouragement. “You can always come back once you’ve saved enough. Among all my customers, you’re the only one who’s shown interest in the Starfruit. I think it’s meant for you.”
“Customers? You get visitors here?” Leon asked curiously.
“I can’t say. My customers’ identities are a secret,” Krobus shook his head. “And I won’t tell anyone about you either.”
“Then can you tell me where you get your goods?” Leon asked, not pressing the matter of other visitors.
“Most of them I fish out of the sewers. Some I trade for with other beings. I can’t say more—I have a confidentiality pact with the Guardian. If you’re curious, you can ask him.”
Krobus’s rotund, misty body swayed slightly, as if shaking his head. The jagged grin under those hollow eyes might have seemed menacing to others, but paired with his movements, it was oddly comical.
“Is the Guardian Wizard Rasmodius?” Leon pressed.
“Yes.” That was safe to answer, so Krobus did.
“Then… can you get an Iridium Sprinkler? I could pre-order one,” Leon asked, steering the conversation back to his original goal.
“I can. But it will take time. How many do you need?” Krobus asked after a pause.
“Just one for now. I want to test its range before buying more,” Leon replied. Reality was different from the game—he needed to see for himself.
“One Iridium Sprinkler will cost ten thousand. Are you sure you want one?” Krobus sounded doubtful, remembering Leon couldn’t even afford the Starfruit.
“At that price… I guess I can’t afford that either,” Leon muttered awkwardly. He’d thought only the Starfruit matched the game’s price, but apparently the Iridium Sprinkler did too. Which meant everything else likely followed suit.
With only five thousand on hand, it seemed he wouldn’t be buying much of anything here.