Cassian's POV
"Cassian, I think this is the right price."
Carla's voice was calm but firm as she leaned back against the velvet cushion of the sofa, her legs crossed, arms folded, and lips curled into a practiced merchant's smile. A small tea tray sat between us, mostly untouched. Her tone had the air of finality, but her eyes said otherwise—calculating, waiting, probing for weakness.
I returned her smile with one of my own. "No, Miss Carla. I think you're not being generous enough."
We'd been going back and forth for over twenty minutes now, negotiating the value of the low-tier monster cores I brought in. The sunlight outside was starting to fade into golden hues, casting a warm glow across the shop's polished wooden floor.
Carla had temporarily closed her store, a rare gesture that told me she saw some value in me—perhaps not just in the monster cores, but something else. Something long-term.
Luna sat quietly near the window, happily munching on a plate of cookies Carla had set out for her. She didn't seem to mind waiting, though occasionally she glanced at us, probably wondering how much longer this verbal duel would go on.
"Haa… Fine, tell me how much you want, Cassian." Carla sighed in mock defeat, brushing a lock of chestnut hair behind her ear.
The corners of my mouth twitched as I resisted the urge to grin. "1000 Points per core. I want the same price Miss Luna gets."
Carla's eyebrows rose slightly. "Bold. But you do realize she's not just any adventurer—she's proven herself over time. You're a newbie."
"Yeah, I am," I admitted, taking a slow bite of one of Luna's cookies. "But give it time. This bag I carry? It's only going to get heavier with each passing day."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, intrigued. "Healers don't typically improve that fast. Most of them hit a bottleneck early on. You know that, right?"
"I do. But I'm not most healers." I met her gaze evenly. "I won't make grand promises. I'll show you with my actions."
There was a silence between us, thick with tension yet oddly respectful. She tapped her nails on the armrest of the sofa, her gaze studying me—not as a customer, but as an investment.
"…Fine. I'll take a bite. But if you can't back your words with results, I'll slash your price in half. No hard feelings." she said, her voice smooth but challenging.
"And if I do back them?" I asked, smirking as I leaned forward.
Her eyes sparkled. "Then I'll raise your price to 1500 Points per core. That's as high as I go. Deal?"
She extended her hand. I took it without hesitation.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Miss Carla."
She chuckled lightly. "You're either reckless or confident. I can't wait to see which."
Then, as if shifting gears entirely, she stood up and turned toward one of the tall glass cabinets behind her. "By the way, you've got 51,000 Points now. Want to spend them on something?"
She glanced over her shoulder with a teasing smile. "Let me warn you—no negotiating. These prices are set by the Church. You can ask Luna if you don't believe me."
I looked at Luna. She simply nodded and took another bite of her cookie, clearly not interested in defending Carla's stingy pricing system.
I let out a small breath. "Alright. Give me ten magic potions and… a sword with holy enchantments."
Carla blinked. "A sword? You're a healer. Why would you need a sword?"
"Just in case. If I run out of mana during a fight, I want something to defend myself with. Something that gives me a chance to escape."
She paused, then nodded slowly. "Practical. I like that. Ten magic potions will cost you 40,000 Points. As for the sword…" She walked over to the weapon rack along the wall, brushing a cloth gently over one of the hilts. "10,000 Points. It's holy enchanted, forged from holy silver by dwarves. Great against undead. But no one buys them—healers don't use swords. So they just gather dust."
She sounded a bit wistful, as if the sword's potential had been wasted.
"Then I'll take that one." I said, pointing toward a particular blade hanging at the center of the rack. Its hilt gleamed softly in the fading light, and there was a faint shimmer along the blade—a holy enchantment barely visible to the naked eye.
Carla turned her head sharply. "That Sword "
To be continued…