An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world - Chapter 13

An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world

Chapter 13    I need money to enter the city

“Now, what should we do?”

“Why the sudden question?”

As we walk along the road, I contemplate our options.

“I asked the village chief, and it turns out that there’s an entrance tax to enter the city.”

“Ah, so it requires money?”

“Yeah.”

“Come to think of it, we don’t have any…”

A carriage departs from the fortified city. Is it a merchant?

“Excuse me!”

“What is it?”

Ah, it’s an elderly man who looks like a friendly merchant.

There’s a hunter-like figure sitting on the coachman’s seat, serving as a guard.

They’ve kindly stopped their carriage for us. That’s considerate.

“How much is the entrance tax for Saaplast?”

“Oh, if you’re empty-handed, it’s six silver coins.”

“Twelve coins for the two of us?”

“That’s right. But my, isn’t she a big elf missy.”

Ahahaha, it seems Saran’s uniqueness caught their attention, causing them to stop the carriage.

“Understood. Thank you!”

“Well then, take care!”

“Twelve coins, huh? We don’t have that kind of money… We’re poor, aren’t we?”

“That’s where this comes in.”

Thump. Thump.

From the Magic Bag, two bags of the infamous 25kg salt.

Worth 50 dollars… Equivalent to 5,000 yen.

“Saran, carry these.”

“Alright, but…”

Saran carries the bags of salt on both shoulders and walks.

In front of the fortress gate, a line of merchant carriages awaits inspection by the guards.

We walk alongside them, the two of us.

“Do you need any salt? Salt for sale!”

The eyes of the merchants sparkle with interest.

“Do you need any salt?”

“Wait a moment, brother!”

Alright, one merchant called out to us.

“Salt, huh? Are you selling it?”

“It depends on the price.”

“Show me a bit.”

The middle-aged merchant gets off the carriage to take a look.

Saran takes the bag off her shoulder.

“…So, the entire bag is filled with salt?”

“That’s correct. Feel free to poke it with a knife wherever you like.”

It’s important to confirm that the contents are not fake and that there is indeed salt inside. No need for any doubts.

…

The merchant takes a slender knife and pokes the paper bag.

Salt trickles out smoothly. He licks it off his finger.

“It’s salt… And moreover, I’ve never seen such pure and high-quality salt before.”

The merchant gets off the carriage one after another, surrounding us.

“An incredible amount!”

“The quality is amazing. Where did you get this?”

“I can’t disclose that information.”

“I see… So, how much is it?”

“How much are you willing to offer?”

“Three gold coins!”

“I’ll buy both bags for six coins!”

“Seven coins!”

“Damn it… Eight coins. I won’t go any higher.”

“I’ll offer nine coins.”

“Ten coins.”

…

Everyone falls silent.

“Alright, we’ll take your offer. Thank you.”

The young merchant, with a bid of ten coins, has won the auction.

“Just to be sure, let me check the other bag as well.”

“Please go ahead.”

The merchant pokes the bag with a knife, slightly tearing it open, tastes the smooth salt, and nods.

“This salt is remarkable. The texture is so fine, the color is pure white, and the flavor is crystal clear. It’s truly top-notch.”

“Yes, please be careful not to spill any as there’s a small hole in the bag.”

“Thank you. Well then, here are your coins.”

I received the ten gold coins.

Leaving behind the slightly frustrated gazes of the merchants, we return to our place in the line.

“Shin, you’re good at this.”

“Well, selling salt for 50 kilograms in exchange for ten gold coins.”

I put one gold coin into the magic bag and mutter, “Federal, sabot slug, copper, 12-gauge 2 3/4 inches. One shot. The change will be in the local currency.”

Inside the bag, there was one shotgun shell, eleven silver coins, and eight large copper coins.

“One shotgun shell is worth $3.30, equivalent to four large copper coins. Twelve large copper coins can be exchanged for one silver coin. Twelve silver coins can be exchanged for one gold coin. So, if one gold coin is approximately 144 large copper coins, and one large copper coin is valued at 75 yen, then one gold coin is worth around 10,000 yen. With the sale of the two bags of salt for $50 or 5,000 yen, and the payment of ten gold coins, the profit is 100,000 yen. A profit of 95,000 yen. The value of salt in this world is twenty times that of my world. If merchants entering the city can buy it for ten gold coins and still make a profit, it means they can sell it at an even higher price within the city or acquire it here at a higher cost. Amazing.”

“You’re quick at calculations!”

Is that so, Saran?

“I can’t tell unless I count on my fingers. Shin, you’re smart!”

Well, not really. I used to work in the municipal office, after all.

“Salt turned out to be quite expensive… Surprisingly, maybe the merchants who frequently traveled to and from the Elf village were actually decent. However, that poses a significant challenge for us in the future.”

“…You know, Shin, you have a talent for business. Wouldn’t you be more profitable as a merchant rather than a hunter?”

“The procurement of this particular merchandise was quite problematic. It’s not ideal to circulate items from another world as commodities. Please consider it as an emergency measure. To maintain the stability of the world, we need to engage in legitimate business and earn a proper living.”

“You can be quite serious, Shin.”

Yes, if we act recklessly in this different world, I’m sure the goddess will be angry.

Upon entering the city, we paid one gold coin (equivalent to twelve silver coins) to be allowed inside.

They asked about Saran’s origin probably because it’s rare to see an Elf.

Both of us had no issues in Kopori Village.

Since we were practically empty-handed, there was no luggage inspection either.

“Wow… It’s a big city. Amazing. Everything is made of stone. Humans are incredible.”

Well, more importantly, you’re being stared at, Miss Tall Elf.

“Saran, it might be a good idea to cover your ears. You stand out because you’re an Elf.”

“Hmm, is that so? Can I really hide it just by covering my ears?”

“Yes, Saran, aside from that, you don’t really have many other Elf-like characteristics.”

“…Really? You think so too, Shin? I don’t seem like an Elf?”

“…Sorry, I misspoke.”

Thud.

Saran seems gloomy.

I’m really sorry.

“Saran, maybe I don’t know how it is from an Elf’s perspective, but from my point of view, you’re an incredibly beautiful and cute wife who’s also skilled in cooking. Here, put this on.”

“Oh! It’s this one!”

It’s a raccoon fur hat. I actually had one made for myself too.

It’s gray, fluffy, and has a raccoon’s striped tail hanging down at the back.

It’s famous in my world because it was favored by the legendary marksman and hunting expert, the Texas hero Davy Crockett. It’s called a Davy Crockett hat.

I’ll have Saran wear it, covering her ears as well.

“Yeah, it’s cute.”

“…You look like a child.”

Well, I don’t think there’s anyone in this world who would see you as anything other than an adult.

Anyway, I’m getting hungry.

From the fortress gate to the city center, there’s a wide boulevard. The streets are spacious.

Food stalls are lined up, selling delicious-looking items.

We walk side by side, indulging in street food.

“So delicious! The seasoning is spot on!”

It’s yakitori, right? This one… It’s pork, I think.

“It’s boar meat.”

One skewer costs several large copper coins.

They offer not only salt-grilled but also various mystery sauce-grilled options.

Humans really put a lot of passion into their culinary flavors, don’t they?

“Sis, is huge! Let’s eat a lot!”

The stall lady finds it amusing and engages in a lively conversation.

Whether it’s because she’s used to being called “huge” or not, Saran smiles and takes a bite into a meat-filled hotdog-like bun.

“Um, we’re actually looking for jobs.”

“Oh, really? What kind of jobs?”

“We’re both hunters.”

“Ah, in that case, you should check out the Hunter’s Guild. Have you been to the east gate?”

“No, we haven’t.”

“At the east gate, there’s a large market, and right next to the entrance, there’s a big shop that buys meat and fur. Behind it is the office of the Hunter’s Guild. If you want to become hunters, it’s a good idea to get your qualifications there.”

“I see. Thank you very much.”

Click.

I confirm the direction with my compass watch. The east gate is… over there.

Although this city is called a fortress city, the height of the city walls is about 3 meters. Well, it’s enough to keep out wild animals and monsters, I guess. I haven’t seen any monsters yet, though.

It’s not built with the assumption of war. I wonder if this world is peaceful.