Gather Divine Coins and Gacha! - Chapter 85

"Alex, over there."

I was randomly grabbing food from the stalls, and although everything was flavorful, many dishes paired perfectly with the wine.

At first, Alex was holding back, but it's not like I forced him to drink.

It's some kind of wine mixed with fruit juice, but is it delicious?

"Is that it?"

I pointed from my perch on his shoulder to a corner of the square in the commercial district.

That area was lined with stalls, giving off a flea market vibe with its diverse atmosphere.

"I got some pocket money, you know. I want to spend a little."

I received a gold coin as spending money for the festival.

I don't need much food, and I can't drink alcohol.

There might be gambling, but I probably shouldn't participate.

So, I thought about buying souvenirs for Seriana and Elena...

But I'm not sure what's good.

I peeked at some decorative items, but what they usually wear is much better quality.

If that's the case, I might as well get something funny.

I might find something good here.

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"Alex... How do you think I'm perceived?"

We were browsing around what I had dubbed the flea market area, and something was bothering me.

"Huh? Oh... Probably like some spoiled princess from a foreign trading company or something."

"I see..."

I had a feeling I was being avoided. Maybe they thought I was a troublesome customer.

"Mesalia isn't that bad, but in other countries, even rich commoners can cause trouble. If they're used to running a shop, they probably wouldn't be too bothered, but these guys selling stuff here are probably amateurs. They might not want to deal with foreigners too much."

Hmm. Well, I can understand the sentiment.

"Hmm... Oh? Over there. Let's go there."

I was considering leaving since we weren't exactly welcomed, and I didn't want to sour the atmosphere, but I noticed a shop with paintings and sculptures displayed.

There seemed to be a man who appeared to be the shopkeeper, but he was busy arranging items with his back turned.

"Helloooo!"

"Uh, welco... Welcome."

Hmm...

"Are you looking for something?"

"Both he and I are from this country, so you don't need to be so formal, okay?"

Alex intervened, perhaps feeling sorry for the guy. Nice. Thanks to that, the shopkeeper seemed to relax a bit.

"Is this painting of Mira?"

Seizing the opportunity, I asked about the painting that caught my eye.

It depicted a nude woman wearing a red dress, dancing happily surrounded by ornaments and artworks.

It looked quite frivolous.

"Ah, yes, it is."

"I'll take it."

"Uh... Well, this one is priced at five silver coins..."

"I'll take it. Oh, and also..."

I glanced at the other items on display. There were many paintings and small decorations, but there were also wooden carvings.

"I'll take this and this too."

As I handed over the coins, I pointed to a wolf and dragon carving, neither particularly well nor poorly made, about ten centimeters in size, priced at five silver coins each. It wasn't cheap, but they wouldn't be too cumbersome to carry around.

"Do you like them?"

"No, they're for souvenirs. Want one, Alex?"

"Nah... I'm good..."

Too bad.

"Um, should I wrap them up for you, or would you like us to deliver them later...?"

I thought we might have bridged the gap a bit, but it seemed like we were drifting apart again.

"I'll just carry them home like this."

"I'll be the one carrying them, though."

With those words, Alex accepted the carvings. I gave a slight wave to the shopkeeper, who bowed in thanks, and we left the square.

Now then, for the next step...

"Oh, let's go over there, behind that shop."

"Huh? Oh, you need to use the restroom?"

Oh, come on...

"Of course not. Let's just stash them in the Hideout."

They weren't too heavy, but they'd be cumbersome to carry around.

"Hmm... Handy, isn't it?"

You think?