Chapter 18 - Dolly
After I sold the [Copper Necklaces], I headed immediately to the Bazaar. Even though its Night Time in the game, its a very lively and busy place like it was not going to enter a sleep and rest at all. The vendors are busy attending anfd attracting players and NPCs alike to buy their wares. Of course, the vendors also composed of players and NPCs. Although this is the second day of the game being launched in the whole world, the players who prefer the [Merchant] Ex Job is already many. From what I can see, most [Merchant] players who usually run their own stores are not the adventurer type and do not have the talent in combat, therefore, they choose the easy alternative.
Ex Jobs or Extra Job to be precise are the professions a player can take after getting their main profession. For example, a cleric can choose to play the merchant type and earn money by using the buy and sell method. The usual players doing these are players who want to gain experience in the game so that they can handle their very own business fluidly in the real world. Not only the [Merchant] profession is available. There are countless of Ex Jobs that I know of and utilizes the talent of the player in many ways. Of course, players can take more than one Ex Job. For example, if you took the [Merchant] Ex Job, you can also choose another Ex Job like Processer and Blacksmith. Depending on the player, it really depends on them.
Ex Jobs can also level players who choosed this kind of profession. For the equality of all, you can choose two methods of leveling up, for non-combatant players, they will have to convert into [Ex Job Experience]. Not only they gain experience on the particular Ex Job, their level will also grow and they can also add stats. For combatant players like me, even though I can get the Ex Job professions, my method of exp is always combat. You cannot change your choice for a month if you choose either of the choices so it was needed to think hard before responding. I am fine with it, leveling in Ex Jobs are a bit slow anyway.
I looked around the stalls of every NPCs and even players' stalls for a merchandise to buy. I might manage to find something I wanted to. This Bazaar is different from the General Store. Although the goods are fixed and the daily necessities of a player are easily sold in General Store, a Bazaar has no fixed item sold. It was always random and most are sold in limited stocks. One stall suddenly got me fixated on a girl arguing with an NPC. I think I know what is going on but I decided to listen first, going there too gung-ho is rude. I might be wrong so I should listen a bit first.
"Why can't I buy this? It is said to be 200 copper but when I handed you 2 silver, you didn't even accept it. Didn't the convertion ratio is 100:1? 100 copper is equivalent to 1 silver right? So why can't I buy it in?!" the girl with a violet hair waving and a pointy ear said while holding a bracelet. Based on how the bracelet looks, it is the [Shiny Copper Bracelet].
"Although it was equivalent, I don't handle silvers in this bazaar. So if I say copper, then pay 100 copper, not 2 silver." the old man stubbornly said.
The girl still wanted to argue but was immediately cutted off by my sudden appearance when I decided to decided to intervene. This type of idiocy will only lead to a bigger problem if she continued doing on arguing.
"Hey girl, stop it, the rules are something to be abided. Don't keep insisting," I frowned.
Her back was facing at me so she didn't noticed my approach. She was extremely surprised when I suddenly spoke.
"Ah? Someone else is here?" the girl looked at me but she stopped on my mask.
"Man with a Mission?(1)"
My face twitched. Although my style was indeed similar to that band, this wolf headed mask is much different since its pure white unlike those masks that they wear which has a grey pattern on its forehead. But I was also surprised and taken aback when I saw this person in front of me. Someone who is no longer present during the past timeline due to an unprecedented event.
Riko Akusabe.
She died after a car crash a year later. She is also one of the players in the game that I consider as my friend and trusty buddy along with another guy. The only thing is her unprecedented death that happened after she had a fight with her parents in regards to marriage.
Right now, I am facing her avatar in game, Dolly. She looked at me with anger and curiousity, but I quickly turned to the store owner.
"Sorry esteemed sir, this friend of mine did not know the policy and she had just experienced the bazaar so she hasn't known it yet," I said and paid 200 copper to him.
"Oh, is that so, then that would be reasonable. Just properly explain the rules next time so that she won't get into trouble to guys who are more hot-tempered than me," the old man NPC running the store said and handed the bracelet.
"Thank you, I will do that," I said and accepted the bracelet.
Dolly was surprised and before she can recover, I handed out the [Shiny Copper Bracelet] to her. She was baffled when I have given it to her though. I dragged her a bit far from the store and stopped when we are no longer into the area of the store.
"Listen, in the Bazaar, its running in a different manner. Be it NPC or player, they follow this rule," I said to her.
"What rule is this anyway? Even though I have enough money to buy this accessory..."
"You see, the merchants only accepts coins depending on them. If they accept copper like that old man earlier, he won't be accepting other currency, be it gold or silver."
"HA?! What absurd rule is that?" Dolly was annoyed.
"Don't ask me, I am just a player, not a developer of the game," I shrugged.
After that, I moved back to the crowded street once again.
"W-wait! What about the payment?" Dolly asked.
I waved my hand and looked back to her coolly.
"I will be taking it soon, I am sure we will be meeting again."
And after saying that, I disappeared in the sea of people. Of course I mean it, since she is my friend and I don't want her to meet the same end she did in the past timeline, I would be trying my best to also alter her very death. And if I have done that, I will be saving two lives.