Thank you to everyone who contributed comments and coupons! Chapter 189
59. The Magical Beasts and the Desert City of Cairo
Mogu, the mole, poked at the stone-like creatures trapped in their cage with a small stick. To my surprise, what I thought were mere rocks began to wiggle and emit pathetic cries.
– Gyuuiiing.
– Eiiing.
At the sound of that familiar whine, my lips curled into a grin.
– Oh, these guys are Wildlings… No, they’re Desertlings! I remember them being toxic or something.
Desertlings are a type of Wildling that lives in this desert. Armed with a deadly venom that causes itching and breathing difficulties, they pose quite the challenge for capture.
Mogu prodded the Desertlings inside the cage.
– Hehe, looks like you’ve encountered a toxic Desertling before, huh? They’re definitely a handful with that venom, but these guys are harmless and tame, so no worries there!
– A non-toxic Desertling?
– These little critters can often be found near oases in the desert. They have the ability to disguise themselves as stones or rocks, which makes them easy to handle since they don’t have much else going on.
Mogu rattled the cage door open. Suddenly, the solid and rough surface of the Desertlings melted into a gooey mess. And wouldn’t you know it, one started slithering toward my leg like a slimy snail!
– Gyuuiing.
– Grroooowl…!
Yingyi, who was perched on my shoulder, bristled and growled at the approaching Desertling. Startled, it twisted back inside the cage, transforming into a rock again.
– Whoa…
Watching this unfold, Mogu looked utterly fascinated, eyes wide as saucers.
– No way! Could that fluffy creature sitting on your shoulder be a Cloudring? Good heavens, what a rare breed to come across! I mean, they’re practically legends in the Eastern Ancient Nest…
Mogu gawked at Yingyi with newfound admiration. Despite being from the West, this little mole merchant seemed to have quite a wealth of knowledge about the Eastern Ancient Nest.
– Uh, can I, just once, touch it?
– Yingyi-ing.
– It said no. Your eyes look way too creepy.
– Oh come on, just let me touch it once! It’s cruel to keep me from touching such a soft, cloud-like creature in front of me! Just look at its fluffy, squishy form and that delightful fruity fragrance wafting through the air…!
– Gyuuiing.
– It’ll let you touch it for a few seconds.
Perhaps enjoying the praise, Yingyi hopped down from my shoulder and settled onto Mogu’s paw.
– Wow, this feels just as I imagined… No, it’s even softer than I thought! Oh my, it’s fluffier than that Wildling I touched in the Eastern Ancient Nest!
A few seconds later, Yingyi returned to my shoulder.
– That was amazing! I just petted something incredible! The Eastern Ancient Nest really does have so many fascinating things.
– It really does.
– You’re a beast that came from the Eastern Ancient Nest, right? I’ve never seen a face like yours in this desert… You definitely look different from the folks I saw recently.
Mogu circled around me, taking in my appearance from head to toe. I shrugged.
– Yeah. Recently, there was another guest from the East besides me?
– Oh, there was! I think it was said to be quite a tall one from the Eastern Ancient Nest… It looked like a human or a fairy, but there was definitely a beastly smell about it. Its black hair was fluffy like wool…
Mogu seemed to be trying to recall that previous guest, wiggling its eyebrows. I couldn’t help but ask, feeling an eerie sense of déjà vu.
– Was it black wool? Did it have curved horns on its head?
– Ah, I think it might have! It had quite the sinister vibe, and it’s still fresh in my memory even after a few days.
– Was that guy named Satan?
– I wouldn’t know about that. My memory…
– Hmmm…
Seeing my disappointment, Mogu rubbed its paws together.
– If you let me pet that Cloudring a bit more, I might remember.
– Sounds fair enough.
Mogu seemed to want to sell me information in exchange for petting Yingyi. It was a deal that worked out just fine for me.
I placed Yingyi back on Mogu’s paw. Mogu squeezed Yingyi like a plush toy, making delighted noises.
– Oh, it’s so squishy and soft… I was just thinking of how to use the meringue wool I got in bulk recently. Perhaps I could make something like this and sell it?
– So what’s the guest’s name? Can you tell me more about what kind of creature it is?
– The guest’s name is… I’m not sure, but they referred to themselves as the ‘Black Pilgrim.’ They also claimed to be a sealed descendant of the black flame… the worst beast ever that even the gods avoid, a 666 or something…
– That’s enough; I don’t need to hear more.
Even without a name, I had a pretty clear idea that this “guest” was the black wooly creature Satan.
In the world of beasts, anyone radiating that much darkness had to be Satan and no one else.
– How long ago did that guy stop by your shop?
– It must have been about three days ago. Do you know them?
– I will soon.
Three days.
Based on what I gathered from Mogu, I pieced together what I had in my head: that Satan fellow, who I thought was ahead of me, must have arrived in Cairo three days ago.
‘Azidahaka mentioned that Nialli’s scheming might have loosened the grip of the mythical creatures under the World Tree’s influence. So, this Satan guy, who could easily be the main body, had been here just a little while ago.’
With that thought, the underground ruins took on a fresh perspective.
‘It’s only been three days.’
*
I purchased one Desertling and a large leather bag to keep it in from Mogu. Mogu demonstrated how to put the stone-like Desertling into the bag.
– If you keep it in a dark place like this, it will release the water it has stored in its body. All you have to do is drink from the opening of this leather bag after it’s done. By the time you reach Cairo, you should have enough water to drink.
– After I drink all the water, can I eat it?
At my question, Mogu’s eyes widened in shock. When it noticed my confused gaze, it bared its little fangs and chuckled.
– No, no! You have to release the Desertling back into the desert! The water it releases may seem like cactus honey, but the rest of its body is drier than desert sand and pretty tasteless. Eating it will only make you regret it.
– Got it.
I nodded while gazing at the Desertling in the bag. It seemed that the ability to disguise itself as a rock, along with maintaining a taste that discouraged predators, was how these creatures managed to survive.
As I stepped out of the small room that had held the cage, I spotted Azidahaka crouched in front of a pile of jewels, sifting through them one by one.
– What are you doing over there?
At my question, Azidahaka turned her head. Her neck and arms were adorned with gleaming golden bracelets, necklaces, and rings.
– Are you trying to buy those? They said they’re not for sale.
“That’s such a shame. I think they would suit me perfectly.”
Azidahaka pouted at the idea of not being able to buy them. Mogu scratched its head in confusion as it observed her taking rings off her fingers.
– Normally, these aren’t for sale, but I can’t deny that they suit you well. So, just for this time, I’ll sell them to you.
“Really? How much do they cost?”
– Hmm, let’s see. Four bracelets, six rings, two anklets, and a necklace…
Mogu inspected the dazzling jewels and accessories adorning Azidahaka, counting on its fingers one by one.
– For the Desertling in the leather bag and some dried meat, I’d need about ten Ojimann gold coins.
“What?! That’s way too expensive! I could buy a small house in Cairo for that!”
Azidahaka protested, indicating that Mogu’s pricing was unreasonable. Mogu rubbed its paws together, chuckling.
– Hehehe, but this isn’t Cairo, it’s the shop of this desert mole. And all those jewels are health stones imbued with magical power, so it’s only fair I charge a premium, right?
“You can see magical power, huh?”
– In a city of beasts and pleasures, having that kind of insight is basic knowledge for a merchant like me. Now, ten Ojimann gold coins, and I won’t sell for less than that. This is already a significant discount!
“Hmmm…”
Azidahaka looked distressed, her shoulders drooping. She pulled out a small pouch of coins from her waist and began to jingle the gold inside.
It was a pitiful reward she received for a recent favor from Abraham, a Dark Fairy in the desert.
“Can I buy it with this?”
She held out the gold coins from her pouch. Mogu inspected them, lifting them with its paw, then biting down on them.
– This is desert tribe talent gold… With a low gold content and a lot of impurities, huh? Even if you pile them all together, they’d only be worth about three Ojimann coins, I’d say.
“Gold is abundant back in my nest, but ugh…”
Azidahaka trembled her tail in disappointment.
– Just as you said, there’s plenty of gold and jewels in your nest. So, why are you trying to buy more?
“These aren’t just any jewels. They’re precious pieces crafted by stone dwarves! Look at the exquisite craftsmanship. Who could carve such tiny stones like fingernails with this level of detail…?”
Her right hand, adorned with tiny stones, was held out towards me. As I squinted to examine it more closely, I noticed the gems were cut so perfectly round they could easily be mistaken for small spheres.
I don’t know much about jewelry, but without laser methods or anything, it was clear that a highly skilled artisan took great care in crafting them.
– They’re pretty nice.
“Right? And that’s not all! This bracelet… probably made by a famous stone dwarf artisan about a thousand years ago…”
She chattered on.
Ironically, Azidahaka, who just moments ago seemed intent on tearing stone dwarves to shreds, was now raving about their crafted jewels, red in the face.
– I thought you hated stone dwarves. Yet you like their creations?
“The things themselves aren’t guilty. I can’t stand those barbaric, rough-bearded creatures, but unlike them, their creations are beautiful. Such high-purity magical stones are something fairies can’t make…”
Azidahaka trailed off, feeling a bit sheepish as she spoke. Mogu, having quietly listened to this, clapped its paws together.
– You sure have a discerning eye! Only dwarf artisans can create these health stones imbued with magical power. Not everyone can bestow effects on gems with the Accursed talent.
– Accursed talent? Aren’t they just shiny rocks?
“No, each of these gems has its own effect. This one increases luck for beasts and humans slightly, this one helps with beauty and fertility, and this one can circulate any residual magic stuck in the body.”
She explained enthusiastically, sounding like a salesman hawking health stones and bracelets.
I figured it was best to understand it as ‘a bit of stat boosts,’ like trinkets you find in a game.
– So how do you plan on paying for this?
“Hmmm…”
Lost in her thoughts about the jewels, Azidahaka turned back to me, licking her lips as if pondering something delicious. I could feel the gentle glow of her hazel eyes through the veil of her tiara.
– Why are you looking at me? We both know I don’t have a single penny.
“I might be broke, but I have something else…”
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