Chapter 302
302 Buying a boar and a condor
*Pho!* “Bad man treated Plow badly. Plow is angry. Plow wants to bite bad man.” Plow angrily said with her cute voice. She wanted to settle the score, it seemed.
[How about we let Plow bite his ass and call it a day? At least it will be funny to watch, hehe.]
Vincent didn’t like the idea as he was the one who had to suffer the consequences and not her. It seemed Kazumi wanted to see a funny show.
“T-the fox can talk! How... how much did you pay for this exotic familiar? ” The vendor couldn’t stop staring at Plow as he spoke. His eyes were locked on Plow, and his breathing increased from excitement. The vendor possibly didn’t meet with any talking familiars up until now by his bewildered response.
Plow controlled the tail acting as her missing limb and said, “Look, bad man. Plow has one leg less.” *Pho*
The vendor stopped in a daze for a moment when he saw the flexible yet crystal-like leg disappear and a ninth tail appear.
“We came here to say hi and show you how even those who are perceived as a waste of air can become majestic. I know my blood bond contract turned my fox into this form, but I would have kept her either way.” Vincent informed.
Vincent raised his hand and brushed Plow fur while adding, “Only monsters mistreat cute foxes like this cutie on my shoulder. I came here to suggest treating all the familiars you have on sale equally good.”
Tula approached the stand and showed a childlike angry frown, and said, “Does bad man have another fox? I want to have my own Plow.”
.....
Her words surprised everyone. Even the vendor didn’t think they would buy another familiar from him after selling a familiar that can be considered a unique pet with no fighting powers at a considerable price.
The vendor took this opportunity to make money. He rubbed his hands and offered, “I don’t have a blue fox, but I can show you...”
“We don’t have money to spend. I am sorry, sir, but my daughter can’t afford a familiar.” Yula interrupted the vendor from trying to make a sale.
[How about we check if he has cheap familiars? We have a lot of girls... I mean people to give them to and increase our strength.]
-...-
-I can try.-
“Do you have familiars that cost a few silver coins? ” Vincent asked in a kind and caring tone as he was talking about living animals with a magic core and not inanimate objects.
*Sigh* “Cheap like last time, eh?.” The vendor removed a dirty sheet and lifted two cages.
*Thud* Inside the cages were a different species in each one.
One cage contained a baby pig with one horn in the middle of its forehead. The horn was slightly bent upwards. The baby pig was about four to five inches long.
The second cage wasn’t a pleasant sight. It was a parrot-sized featherless bird, and it didn’t look like it wasn’t going to survive for long. It also looked like it was in pain.
“This one is a baby of a Yok Boar and a Horned Boar. Its owner didn’t listen about how boars can’t interbreed because Horned Boars are of the earth element while Yok Boars are of the fire element.”
The vendor looked at the baby boar’s cage and continued.
“If an animal born with a magic core inside its body and is born from two different elements... let’s say it will live a shorter life and it will not be able to become a familiar as well.”
“In the end, the owner came to me and...” *Cough* “I bought it for a considerable price.” The vendor almost made a mistake and mentioned he got the baby boar for free.
“This one is a Frostflake Condor...” *Sigh* “These birds lay exactly ten eggs, and only three of them are born with a magic core. Additionally, only one of the three is guaranteed to have the ice core genes of its parents. The other two could be fortunate to receive their parent’s core genes.” *Sigh* “... or unlucky like this one.”
The vendor pointed at the condor and continued, “I was unlucky to buy a dud at a high price. We call the eggs duds because the condors born without an ice core will cause the condor’s body to reject the different element and ultimately die.”
“The Frostflake Condor will not be able to grow feathers, nor its body grow past two months. This one has been a month and a half with me, but no one wanted to buy it.” The vendor explained.
Vincent focused his gaze on both familiars. One was born with an appearance defect, while the other one’s defect was life-threatening.
.
[Name] Horned Yok Boar
[Race] Horned Yok Boar (Female)
[Age] 0 (1 Month old)
[Core] Incomplete Earth Core (Tameable)
[Core] Incomplete Fire Core (Tameable)
[Condition] Healthy, Tired, Insomnia
[Stats] Strength 1 || Agility 1 || Perception 1 || Mana 1
[Traits] Neoteny
[Core Skills] None
[Detail]
A young Horned Yok Boar is born with two incomplete elements in one body. The Horned Yok Boar can’t live for long, and it will remain young until it passes away a few years later.
.
[Name] Frostflake Condor
[Race] Frostflake Condor (Female)
[Age] 0 (1 Month old)
[Core] Fire Core (Tameable)
[Condition] Serious Condition, High Fever
[Stats] Strength 1 || Agility 1 || Perception 1 || Mana 1
[Traits] Ice Body
[Core Skills] None
[Detail]
A young Frostflake Condor is born with a body that enhances cold powers while suffering highly from the opposite element. Frostflake Condor can’t live for long if it is born with a Fire Core. It will not be able to fly if it is born with an Earth Core.
.
“Hmm. A boar that stays small, has an incomplete magic core from interbreeding, and can’t live a long life. The other one is a dying condor. ” Vincent stated.
“Don’t tell me you want a lot of money for them?” He later asked.
“Ugh... how about ten silver coins for the two of them? It seems you accept anyone, even if they are defects.” The vendor said in a mocking tone.
Olive saw the boar infant and became happy when Vincent started talking prices with the familiar merchant.
“Please, can I take a look at the cute piggy?” She asked Yula.
Yula didn’t see the harm in that, so she released her grip and let go of Olive’s little green hand.
Yula then felt a thug on the other side. She turned her head and saw Lian looking at her with a pair of puppy eyes, begging to also be allowed to take a look at the two familiars up close.
“You can go too. ” Yula said while releasing her grip and letting both curious demigoblins approach the table with the two cages on it.
Vincent was about to use the tactic of saying how he decided to leave and hope to hear the vendor drastically drop the price. However, Olive went in front of the young boar, and Lian went in front of the young condor. The plan couldn’t start now.
“Looks like your slaves... wait! These hobgoblins aren’t slaves!” The vendor exclaimed.
“Yes. So what? Do I have to place a collar on every person I see to call them mine? ” Vincent showed a hint of bloodlust in his gaze. It was enough for the vendor to stop talking about the subject.
“Vincent. Can we get this cute cubby piggie? I love chubby babies.” Olive cutely asked.
“Vincent. Can we get this big birdie? I like birdies that fly very fast. Birdies are awesome!” Lian cheerfully said. He wanted the condor to become healthy and see it fly freely in the sky.
Tula didn’t look as interested and excited as the two demigoblin kids. Lenn and Renn noticed their sister was surprisingly quiet.
“Are you afraid of the poor bird?” Lenn asked.
“No...” Tula shook her head.
“Are you unhappy then?” Renn asked next.
Tula nodded. “The poor birdie is feeling an ouchy. I like soft furry pets, but the babies in the cages don’t have soft fur-like Plow. ”
“Sweety...” Yula shook her head and sighed. Tula became infatuated with Plow so much that she didn’t like a cute chubby little boar with a tiny cute horn and a poor featherless condor suffering to live.
Vincent finished pondering and said with two fingers extended, “Two silver for the two of them. One can’t become familiar with its incomplete cores, and the other one might die before I get home.”
“What!? Your offer is too cheap! ” The vendor stared at Vincent with a frown.
*Thud!* Take it or leave it. Furthermore, I don’t need the cages. You can keep them.” Vincent slammed three silver coins and stared back at the vendor.
“Fu...” The vendor looked at the two demigoblin kids and thought, ‘Fine... let me reset my bad karma by making these monster children smile. Damn, these hobgoblins looking like humans are making me feel guilty. ‘
“Fine. You can take these two without a cage.” The vendor took the three silver coins and opened the cages.
Vincent lifted the horned yok boar and gave it to Yula. “Could you hold this one for now?” He asked.
Yula nodded and received the boar. “Olive, dear, let me hold this one for you.” She warmly said.
“Okay.” Olive looked pleased she was going to have a new friend.
[Hey Vincent. We can use one of the frozen water buckets Ester prepared when she was training a few days ago.]
.....